The three-year agreement enables 9mobile subscribers to roam seamlessly on MTN Nigeria’s expansive network, significantly extending 9mobile’s coverage and improving service quality for its customers.

The partnership signals a shift toward greater industry collaboration, aligning with the NCC’s vision for a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem.

Beyond infrastructure sharing, the agreement drives greater operational efficiency, stronger connectivity, and an enhanced user experience.

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’s network capacity and service quality.

“This partnership marks a bold resurgence for 9mobile,” said Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of 9Mobile. “It 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.”

Banigbe acknowledged the leadership of Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and the leadership of the NCC, for enabling such progressive industry collaboration, and Dr. Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, for his advocacy of a resource-efficient, consumer-first telecom ecosystem.

“In today’s telecom environment, access is more strategic than ownership,” Banigbe added. “Access to infrastructure is now more important than ownership,” Banigbe added. “Rather than duplicating networks, we’re investing in access that is commercially viable and sustainable. Network infrastructure typically accounts for 70–75% of an operator’s costs, savings here mean we can reinvest in innovation and customer experience. At 9mobile, our mantra is simple: build infrastructure where necessary, share it where possible,” he concluded”

Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, described the agreement as a milestone for the sector,

“This collaboration underscores our commitment to industry innovation, customer-centricity, and support for the NCC’s goal of a fully connected Nigeria,” said Toriola. “It reflects our shared value philosophy, prioritizing partnerships that benefit the entire ecosystem.”

Toriola also praised Dr. Tijani’s efforts in promoting meaningful collaboration as a key driver of digital access, service quality, and nationwide inclusion.

This pioneering agreement sets a new benchmark for infrastructure sharing in Nigeria. It exemplifies how competitors can collaborate to address systemic challenges, reduce redundancies, and collectively transform the industry—ultimately delivering broader coverage, better service, and faster access to emerging technologies for Nigerian consumers.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved the three-year deal, which allows 9mobile subscribers to use MTN’s network infrastructure to make calls, send SMS and access mobile data.

In a statement signed by Uto Ukpanah, MTN’s company secretary and filed with the Nigerian Exchange, the telecom giant noted that the agreement supports more efficient use of resources and aligns with its commitment to industry sustainability and expanding nationwide connectivity.

“This agreement represents a significant step in our commitment to driving industry collaboration, improving customer experience, and supporting the NCC’s vision of a fully connected Nigeria,” Karl Toriola, MTN Nigeria CEO, said.

“Delivering the scale required for telecommunications services in Nigeria requires strong collaboration between the private sector, public sector, and long-term investors. This agreement demonstrates what we can achieve when we collaborate, and we are delighted to announce it today after months of groundwork.”

The development follows a pilot initiative launched in 2020, when MTN and 9mobile tested limited national roaming service for three months in select locations.

That pilot helped assess the technical and commercial feasibility of the collaboration.

The need for a permanent arrangement became apparent as 9mobile struggled with market share, limited network coverage, and financial constraints.

The new agreement is expected to reduce 9mobile’s cost of operations while allowing it to extend its reach without building additional infrastructure.

MTN Nigeria reiterated its commitment to fostering innovation and partnerships that create sustainable value for all stakeholders while promoting digital and financial inclusion across the country.