MTN Nigeria is planning further investment in its telecommunications network as the company marks 25 years of operations in the country, promising customers improved coverage, capacity and service quality.
The telecoms operator made the announcement in Lagos as it unveiled activities to commemorate its 25th anniversary in Nigeria.
MTN said its next phase of investment would focus on expanding network infrastructure, reducing congestion and improving the overall experience for millions of customers across the country.
The company said the investment reflects its long-term commitment to keeping pace with Nigeria’s growing demand for mobile connectivity and digital services.
MTN Plans Continued Network Expansion
Nasiru Hayatu, General Manager of Network Access Planning and Optimisation at MTN Nigeria, said network expansion and optimisation would remain an ongoing priority for the company.
According to Hayatu, MTN uses forecasting and network-planning tools to identify areas where additional infrastructure is needed and determine how existing facilities can be improved.
He said the company would continue working with its architecture and engineering teams to identify opportunities to improve service quality.
“For the past 25 years, MTN has been investing in network expansion and optimisation and this is something that we do every day,” Hayatu said.
The company expects the continued expansion of its network to help address rising demand for mobile data and improve connectivity in areas experiencing increased traffic.
MTN Has Invested More Than ₦1.6 Trillion
MTN Nigeria’s investment in network infrastructure has accelerated significantly in recent years.
Modupe Kadri, Chief Financial Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the company invested more than ₦1.6 trillion over the past 18 months in network expansion, coverage, capacity and customer experience.
The company also recorded substantial growth in capital expenditure during the first quarter of 2026.
MTN’s capital expenditure increased by 92.8% year-on-year in Q1 2026, as the company accelerated network deployment to relieve congestion and improve service quality.
The pace of spending was moderated in the second quarter in line with the company’s full-year investment plans.
Kadri also said MTN’s capital expenditure, excluding leases, more than doubled in 2025 to approximately ₦1 trillion.
The figures demonstrate the scale of investment required to operate a nationwide telecommunications network as demand for mobile data continues to increase.
Rising Demand Is Driving Network Investment
Nigeria’s telecommunications market has changed considerably since MTN began operating in the country 25 years ago.
Mobile phones have evolved from basic communication devices into platforms for banking, entertainment, education, business and digital services.
At the same time, mobile internet usage has expanded rapidly.
Consumers increasingly depend on smartphones for video streaming, social media, online payments, remote work, cloud services and artificial intelligence applications.
That growth places additional pressure on mobile networks.
MTN’s latest investment programme is therefore focused not only on extending coverage but also on increasing network capacity in areas where existing infrastructure is experiencing heavy traffic.
Improving capacity can help reduce congestion and provide customers with more consistent service during periods of high demand.
MTN Looks to Device Makers for Affordable 5G Phones
While network investment remains a major priority, MTN also wants to see greater availability of affordable 5G-enabled smartphones in Nigeria.
The company said it would continue working with original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, to encourage the production of devices that more Nigerians can afford.
Affordable smartphones are considered essential to expanding 5G adoption because network coverage alone does not guarantee that consumers can access the technology.
A customer needs both a compatible device and access to a 5G network.
MTN therefore sees partnerships with manufacturers as an important part of expanding the country’s 5G ecosystem.
Why MTN Won’t Manufacture 5G Devices
Kadri explained that MTN does not intend to invest directly in manufacturing smartphones and other consumer devices.
One reason is the speed at which mobile technology changes.
A device developed for one generation of technology can become outdated as newer standards and hardware emerge.
“If we invest in devices and another device or newer type of device comes up, they become obsolete,” Kadri explained.
Rather than taking on the risks associated with manufacturing hardware, MTN intends to work with established device manufacturers.
The strategy allows the telecom operator to concentrate on its core network and connectivity business while encouraging manufacturers to make compatible devices more affordable.
Artificial Intelligence Becomes a New Priority
Artificial intelligence is also becoming an increasingly important part of MTN’s strategy.
The company believes AI can help improve not only the services offered to customers but also the way MTN operates internally.
Kadri said MTN is examining how artificial intelligence can be used to improve operational efficiency, understand customer behaviour and develop more targeted products and services.
AI could help the company analyse large amounts of customer and network data, identify patterns and anticipate changing demand.
That information could potentially improve decisions about network deployment, customer segmentation and product development.
For a company serving millions of customers, even relatively small improvements in efficiency can have a significant impact.
AI Could Change Customer Experience
One of the areas where MTN expects artificial intelligence to have an impact is customer experience.
Telecommunications companies generate enormous amounts of data through network usage, customer interactions and service activity.
AI systems can analyse that information at a scale that would be difficult to achieve through traditional methods.
MTN can potentially use these capabilities to understand what different groups of customers need and develop services that are more closely matched to their behaviour.
The company also wants to use technology to identify opportunities for improving the way customers interact with its services.
That could eventually lead to more personalised products, faster responses to customer problems and more efficient support systems.
Technology at the Centre of MTN’s Next 25 Years
MTN’s 25th anniversary provides an opportunity for the company to look back at its role in the development of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
However, executives are also focusing heavily on what comes next.
The company says emerging technologies will play a central role in its future.
5G, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and increasingly sophisticated mobile devices are changing what customers expect from telecom operators.
MTN therefore needs to continue investing in infrastructure while also adapting to technologies that could fundamentally change how networks and services are delivered.
More Than Just Network Coverage
For MTN, network expansion is no longer simply about building more base stations.
Modern telecommunications networks must support a much wider range of activities.
A single network may simultaneously carry voice calls, video streams, financial transactions, business applications, social media traffic and AI-related services.
That requires greater capacity, more sophisticated network management and continuous optimisation.
Hayatu said MTN’s network teams use forecasting tools and other technologies to identify where investment is needed.
The goal is to ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with changing patterns of customer demand.
MTN’s Long-Term Commitment to Nigeria
Kadri said MTN’s role would continue to evolve alongside the needs of Nigerian consumers and businesses.
She described Nigerians as increasingly technology-focused and ambitious, with growing expectations for digital services.
MTN’s objective, she said, is to help create an ecosystem that enables individuals and businesses to take advantage of emerging technology.
The company’s strategy therefore extends beyond providing connectivity.
It increasingly involves creating the infrastructure and partnerships required for customers to use new technologies effectively.
The Next Phase of Nigeria’s Telecom Revolution
MTN’s first 25 years in Nigeria were defined by the rapid expansion of mobile communications.
Its next phase is likely to be shaped by faster networks, larger data volumes, affordable smartphones and artificial intelligence.
The company’s investment plans suggest that network expansion will remain a major priority as demand continues to grow.
At the same time, partnerships with device manufacturers could help make 5G technology more accessible, while AI could give MTN new tools for managing its network and understanding customers.
The scale of MTN’s recent investment shows that keeping Nigeria connected requires continuous spending.
With more than ₦1.6 trillion invested over the past 18 months, the company is signalling that it intends to keep expanding its infrastructure rather than simply relying on the network it built over the past quarter-century.
As MTN begins its next 25 years in Nigeria, the company is positioning connectivity, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies at the centre of its strategy.
For millions of customers, the success of that strategy will ultimately be measured in simpler terms: better coverage, faster connections, more reliable services and affordable access to the technologies shaping the country’s digital future.
