MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced the renewal of its spectrum lease agreement with Natcom Development and Investment Limited (NTEL), following approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The agreement, which originally began in 2023, extends MTN Nigeria’s access to critical spectrums and expands its ability to deliver improved connectivity across the country.
The renewed lease, effective May 1, 2025, extends MTN Nigeria’s use of NTEL’s 5 MHz Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) in the 900 MHz band and 10 MHz FDD in the 1800 MHz band for another two years. These spectrums are critical for enhancing 3G and 4G services, particularly in the 19 states covered under the original agreement. For the remaining states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the NCC has approved a one-year lease expansion, effective January 1, 2025.
MTN Nigeria CEO, Karl Toriola, expressed satisfaction with the renewed agreement, pointing out its importance for improving service quality. “We are pleased with the renewal of the spectrum lease agreement with NTEL, which now includes coverages for all states, including the FCT,” Toriola said. He mentioned the lease’s potential to enhance 3G and 4G user experiences by boosting network coverage and capacity. This will help MTN to meet the growing demand for data services.
This partnership builds on a ₦4.25 billion investment made in 2023 to secure the initial lease. The investment included regulatory fees, taxes, and other costs to facilitate the use of NTEL’s spectrums.
In addition to this lease renewal, MTN Nigeria has taken other steps to improve network performance. In September 2023, the company acquired a 2.6 GHz spectrum, approved by the NCC, to increase capacity and provide faster, more dependable service.
