MTN Nigeria Communications PLC (MTN Nigeria) has announced the successful renewal and harmonisation of its 800MHz spectrum licences, following approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In a notice to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and the investing public, MTN Nigeria disclosed that the NCC has renewed its first 800MHz spectrum band licence (Channel 1) for an additional ten years, effective from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2034.
Additionally, the NCC approved the extension of its second 800MHz spectrum band licence (Channel 2), which was initially set to expire on December 31, 2030, by four years. Both licences will now harmoniously expire on December 31, 2034.
Strategic move for long-term connectivity
The harmonisation of the licences is aimed at simplifying future renewal processes and ensuring continuity in MTN’s service delivery.
Commenting on the development, Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, said:
“We are pleased with the successful renewal and harmonisation of our 800MHz spectrum licences, which lay a solid foundation for the ongoing delivery of 4G services to our customers.
“This enables us to continue to meet the demand for data and is integral to our broader strategy for enhancing connectivity.”
What this means
The 800MHz spectrum band is critical for delivering robust and efficient 4G services, particularly in urban and underserved areas.
The renewal aligns with MTN Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing broadband connectivity and supporting the country’s digital transformation agenda.
- By securing a long-term licence tenure, MTN is positioned to sustain its infrastructure investments and improve service quality for its customers.
- This strategic move also demonstrates MTN Nigeria’s focus on long-term growth and its leadership in the telecommunications sector.
- With data consumption in Nigeria rising due to increasing digital adoption, the licence renewal ensures that MTN can continue to deliver high-quality, reliable services to meet consumer demands.
- The harmonisation of licence expiration dates also reduces administrative complexities and positions MTN for seamless spectrum management in the future.
What you should know
Going by the latest data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN accounted for 51.09% of the mobile market in Nigeria as of October 2024.
- Airtel came second with a 34.61% share of the market, while Globacom accounts for 12.15% share of the market.
- This left the fourth operator, 9mobile with only 2.15% market share.
- In terms of internet customers, MTN also dominates the market with 69.5 million subscriptions as of October 2024, while Airtel recorded 45.7 million subscriptions.
Globacom’s internet subscriptions for the period stood at 17.1 million while 9mobile had 2.1 million subscriptions.
