*The Nigerian Communications Commission approves a strategic three-year agreement between MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and 9mobile for improved connectivity, Quality of Service, and enhanced consumer experience in the country’s telecoms space

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile) have officially announced the rollout of their national roaming agreement in a strategic move to redefine the West African country’s telecoms landscape.

绿帽献妻 reports the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) the new-fangled three-year agreement between MTN Nigeria and 9mobile for improved connectivity, Quality of Service (QoS), and enhanced telecoms consumer experience.

Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (r) and Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of NCC

It is noted the agreement now enables 9mobile subscribers to roam seamlessly on MTN Nigeria鈥檚 expansive network while significantly extending 9mobile鈥檚 coverage, and improving its service quality for telecoms consumers.

The two Nigerian Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) states their partnership “signals a shift toward greater industry collaboration, aligning with the NCC鈥檚 vision for a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem.”

Aside from infrastructure sharing, MTN Nigeria and 9mobile in a statement Thursday, July 3, 2025, disclosed the agreement drives greater operational efficiency, stronger connectivity, and enhanced consumer experience in the country’s telecoms ecosystem.

They said: “It also paves the way for deeper collaboration between the two Telcos, most notably a proposed spectrum leasing deal, in which 9mobile will lease its 900MHz (5MHz) and 1800MHz (15MHz) bands to MTN for three years, further strengthening MTN鈥檚 network capacity and service quality for consumers.

9mobile CEO: We’re poised to deliver high-quality service to consumers

In his remarks on the deal, Obafemi Banigbe, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 9Mobile, stated: 鈥淭his partnership marks a bold resurgence for 9mobile.

鈥淚t empowers us to meet the needs of our customers, especially youthful and enterprise users, by delivering consistent, high-quality service as we roll out city by city in the weeks ahead.鈥�

Telcos applaud Minister, NCC for regulatory excellence

Commending the efforts of the regulatory authorities for making the partnership agreement a success, Banigbe also acknowledged the leadership of Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, for enabling such progressive industry collaboration.

The CEO of 9mobile equally lauded Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), for his advocacy of a resource-efficient, consumer-first telecoms ecosystem in Nigeria.

He stated: 鈥淚n today鈥檚 telecoms environment, access is more strategic than ownership.

鈥淎ccess to infrastructure is now more important than ownership.”

The 9mobile Chief Executive further said: 鈥淩ather than duplicating networks, we鈥檙e investing in access that is commercially viable and sustainable.

“Network infrastructure typically accounts for 70鈥�75% of an operator鈥檚 costs, savings here mean we can reinvest in innovation and customer experience.”

Banigbe added: “At 9mobile, our mantra is simple: build infrastructure where necessary, share it where possible.”

Also commenting on the new-fangled partnership on national infrastructure with 9mobile, Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, described the agreement as a milestone for the telecoms sector of the economy.

Toriola stated: 鈥淭his collaboration underscores our commitment to industry innovation, customer-centricity, and support for the NCC鈥檚 goal of a fully connected Nigeria.

鈥淚t reflects our shared value philosophy, prioritising partnerships that benefit the entire ecosystem.鈥�

He also applauded Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), for his efforts at promoting a meaningful collaboration as a key driver of digital access, service quality, and nationwide inclusion.

According to the Telcos, this pioneering agreement sets a new benchmark for infrastructure sharing in Nigeria.

The MNOs averred: “It exemplifies how competitors can collaborate to address systemic challenges, reduce redundancies, and collectively transform the industry鈥攗ltimately delivering broader coverage, better service, and faster access to emerging technologies for Nigerian consumers.”

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