After a protracted battle with the regulatory authorities, MTN Nigeria has been awarded additional broadband spectrum following its acquisition of Visafone Communications in 2015. Following a public inquiry, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) finally approved the transfer of 800-megahertz spectrum. 

This transfer of 800-megahertz spectrum is expected to boost MTN’s market-leading position in the country and enable the company extend its network reach in the country, potentially to rural and unconnected areas.

Olusola Teniola, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), commended the move, noted the great gains achievable through it to both the subscribers and the carrier MTN being Africa’s biggest by sales, having about 67-million active customers in the country and more than half of whom uses data services.

 “MTN is a dominant player in the voice segment and obviously they would like to ensure that they hold a leadership position in the data space. Any operator that has the kind of spectrum that MTN holds is in a good position to lead the market,” he said.

Getting the better of an NCC ruling will come as a welcome boost to MTN, which has long been the subject of regulator and government censure in Nigeria.