MTN Nigeria and Emerging Market Communications Company (9mobile) have formally announced a groundbreaking national roaming partnership, set to significantly reshape Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape. This strategic alliance allows both operators to share their radio infrastructure, promising enhanced network coverage, improved efficiency, and superior customer experience across the nation. The agreement, unveiled at a joint press conference in Lagos, marks the first such extensive collaboration in Nigeria and the broader West, East, and Central African regions.

The core objective of this three-year commercial partnership is to boost network capabilities and provide customers with unparalleled service quality. Obafemi Banigbe, the Chief Executive Officer of 9mobile, highlighted that the agreement enables 9mobile to extend its network reach into areas where its own coverage is limited, leveraging MTN’s extensive infrastructure. Conversely, MTN will also benefit by utilizing 9mobile's infrastructure in locations where its own network may not be as robust. Banigbe emphasized that this is a "win-win" commercial arrangement, with both parties compensating each other for services rendered, clarifying that it is not a "freeloader" setup.

For 9mobile, this partnership is a critical step in addressing past challenges. The company has faced persistent network failures, leading many subscribers to switch to rival providers. Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) indicates a steep decline in 9mobile's active subscriber base, plunging from over 22 million at its peak in 2016 to just 3.2 million by January 2025. With this roaming agreement, 9mobile aims to regain its lost subscribers and strengthen its position in the competitive market. Banigbe reiterated 9mobile's philosophy of “Build where we must, share where we can,” aligning this move with capital efficiency and optimized returns for investors.

MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, represented by Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, underscored MTN's commitment to this national roaming partnership. Toriola stated that such collaborations are vital for boosting the country's economy and supporting the NCC’s vision of a fully connected Nigeria. Saint-Nwafor further elaborated that this initiative is integral to MTN's Ambition 2025 strategy, which focuses on creating shared value and broadening access to digital life for all Nigerians. She drew parallels to the industry's evolution in tower-sharing, which began in 2014, noting that the progression to shared radio access networks is a global best practice that minimizes capital waste and allows operators to focus more keenly on customer needs.

The partnership is designed to be seamless for 9mobile subscribers. While initial testing and trial phases will continue until the end of July, the new roaming arrangement is expected to take effect as early as next week. Existing 9mobile users with active lines linked to their National Identification Number (NIN) will automatically connect to the enhanced network without needing to re-register. They simply need to recharge their lines, especially if they have been inactive for a prolonged period. Both executives clarified that this is not a porting arrangement; both companies will retain their respective customer bases, ensuring vigorous competition on pricing, service delivery, and innovation.

This collaboration represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, where infrastructure sharing has been a topic of discussion for a long time but rarely implemented at this scale. Supported by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the agreement demonstrates the potential of strong collaboration between the private sector, public sector, and long-term investors. As Nigeria's population is projected to reach 400 million in the next two decades, with a significant portion being young and digitally native, this proactive step by MTN and 9mobile lays a robust foundation for meeting the surging demand for mobile data and digital connectivity in the years to come, ensuring sustainable growth for the entire industry.