MTN Group and Airtel Africa have signed agreements to share network infrastructure in Nigeria and Uganda. This partnership aims to improve digital and financial inclusion across Africa by expanding mobile coverage, cutting costs, and enhancing services for millions of customers, particularly in rural and remote areas.
A statement published on March 25 on MTN’s website noted that the collaboration would help both companies provide better connectivity and mobile services to areas that currently lack access to modern digital solutions.
MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita explained that mobile operators in Africa are experiencing growing demand for data services. He stated, “As MTN, we are driven by the vision of delivering digital solutions that drive Africa’s progress. We continue to see strong structural demand for digital and financial services across our markets. To meet this demand, we continue to invest in coverage and capacity to ensure high-quality connectivity for our customers. That said, there are opportunities within regulatory frameworks for sharing resources to drive higher efficiencies and improve returns.”
Similarly, Airtel Africa Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar spoke about the need to build a strong digital network while maintaining competition. He said, “As we compete fiercely in the market on the strength of our brand, services and our offerings we are building common infrastructure, within the permissible regulatory framework, to provide a more robust and extensive digital highway to drive digital and financial inclusion at the same time avoiding duplication of expensive infrastructure to drive operational efficiencies and benefits for our customers.”
This partnership is part of a growing trend where telecom companies collaborate to share resources, reducing costs while maintaining high-quality services. By working together, MTN and Airtel Africa can avoid unnecessary duplication of infrastructure while improving connectivity for millions of users.
The statement also noted that after finalizing agreements in Nigeria and Uganda, both companies are looking at opportunities to expand similar collaborations in other African countries, including Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Zambia. These agreements may involve sharing radio access networks (RAN), establishing commercial and technical agreements for fibre infrastructure, and even constructing new fibre networks when necessary.
MTN and Airtel Africa also confirmed their commitment to working with other mobile operators in their respective markets. The statement clarified that while both companies will collaborate on infrastructure sharing, they will continue to operate as independent competitors in the telecom sector. It also noted that the agreement does not prevent either company from forming similar partnerships with other operators in the future.
