Telecom
MTN Nigeria Signs Tower Sale Agreement with IHS
MTN Nigeria has signed an agreement with IHS Holdings for the transfer of its towers business, comprising 9 151 mobile network towers, to the latter, in the West African country.
MTN – Africa’s largest mobile operator said yesterday the transaction is expected to reduce MTN Nigeria’s operating costs, drive network efficiencies and further expand MTN’s voice and data capacity.
While the value of the deal has not been revealed, Reuters quotes a source familiar with the transactions as saying the sale was worth around $1.8 billion.
In terms of the deal, the towers would be transferred to a new company, which will be owned jointly by MTN and IHS, with IHS having full operational control of the underlying business. The transaction essentially doubles the size of the IHS business.
The new towers company will market independent infrastructure sharing services to other mobile operators and Internet service providers (ISPs) in Nigeria.
The transaction – currently subject to regulatory approval – is expected to be finalized in the fourth quarter of this year.
“We are delighted to have entered into a further transfer transaction with IHS, in our largest African market. IHS’ deep knowledge and considerable experience in the sector will help drive efficiencies and enhance our network uptime, allowing us to concentrate on further raising our own service levels, improving the customer experience and ensuring we remain the number one operator in Nigeria,” said Sifiso Dabengwa, group president and CEO of the MTN Group.
As part of the MTN deal, the new towers company has committed more than $500 million of additional investment, over four years, into tower upgrades and a maintenance programme to improve quality of service and enhance the customer experience on the MTN Nigeria network.
In addition, further investments will be made into IHS’ centralised network operations centre in Nigeria, to optimise operations and increase IHS’ network uptimes of over 99%.
There will also be sustained investments in energy-efficiency through the deployment of advanced generators, batteries and alternative power solutions to reduce diesel consumption. IHS anticipates creating a considerable number of technical and engineering direct and indirect employment opportunities to be sourced locally in Nigeria.
Michael Ikpoki, MTN Nigeria CEO, said that the separation of MTN Nigeria’s mobile network towers and operation of the underlying towers business by IHS reflects a major part of the company’s strategy to optimise network quality and technological assets.
“Indeed, the trends and realities in our industry reveal the increased role of cost-efficiency and optimisation of assets in guiding business decisions in order to remain competitive.
“We will continue to embrace strategies that enhance our services to our customers while ensuring our long-term business continuity, without compromising best practice.”
Issam Darwish, IHS Holdings CEO commented, “This is a significant and transformational agreement for IHS that doubles the size of our business and confirms our position as the leading mobile infrastructure company in Africa.
“It gives me great pleasure to be agreeing this deal with MTN, a partner we have worked with for more than 10 years and with whom we have an excellent relationship. I am confident that MTN’s customers and management will benefit almost immediately from IHS’ focus on quality of service, innovative tower management and sustainable energy approach.”
The deal is important for MTN and is a natural progression of how telecoms operators are starting to do business in developing markets, says Ovum analyst Richard Hurst. However, he warns this type of deal does take some of the competitive advantage away from operators.
“Selling towers to IHS means you are essentially giving away part of your business, and your competitors – who are doing the same – end up with the same coverage as you. This means these operators have to find other ways of competing against each other, such as cost-efficiency or additional services.”
According to Nigeria’s telecoms regulator, MTN Nigeria has a 46% share of the country’s mobile subscribers, compared to India’s Bharti Airtel with 20%, Globacom with 19% and Etisalat Nigeria with 15%.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
Anti Graft Agencies Raise Alarm over Rising Crypto-Linked Financial Crimes
NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System
NDIC Insures 99 Percent of Bank Customers
FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion – Minister
CBN Bars Chronic Loan Defaulters from Accessing Loans
Spotify’s Loud & Clear Report Reveals Over ₦60Bn Revenue for Nigerian Artists in 2025
Madonna University Taps Tech Guru Adote for Strategic Board Role
China Threatens to Shut Nigeria’s Satellite Over $11.44m Unpaid Debt
MTN Nigeria Posts Record N1.70 Trillion Pre‑Tax Profit, Declares N20 Dividend for 2025
Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology
General News2 days agoNCC to Curb SIM Fraud, Strengthen Digital Security with New Platform
Broadcasting2 days agoNBC Boss Urges Content Ceators to Participate in DSO
General News2 days agoKidnappers Now Use Banks to Collect Ransoms — Expert
E-Financial2 days agoBreaking…..Kuda Lays Off Many Employees in Broad Restructuring
E-Financial2 days agoCBN Says Bank Customers Won’t Lose Deposits because of Recapitalisation
E-Business2 days agoJury Finds Meta, Google Liable for Woman’s Social Media Addiction
News2 days agoFrancis Okafor Stuns China, Emerges Second-Place Winner @ Tencent OpenClaw Hackathon
Telecom2 days agoIFC Invests $45m to Green African Telecom Sites