MTN, Airtel Sink Over ₦400 Billion in Network Infrastructure in Q1 2025 to Improve Service
Nigeria’s two leading telecommunications providers, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa, have collectively invested over ₦400 billion in network infrastructure during the first quarter of 2025, according to unaudited financial reports released by both firms.
The move is part of a broader push to enhance service delivery, expand rural coverage, and support the rollout of next-generation technologies.
MTN Nigeria announced a staggering ₦202.4 billion in capital expenditure for the quarter ending March 31, 2025—representing a 159% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The telecom giant attributed the spike in spending to its focus on expanding network capacity and quality amid increasing data consumption and subscriber growth.
According to the report, MTN added 3.2 million new subscribers, growing its user base by 8.2% to reach 84.1 million. Active data users rose by 13% to 50.3 million, while total data traffic surged by 46.4% year-on-year.
The company said the investments were critical in addressing the exponential rise in data demand and ensuring improved user experience.
“This investment is part of our strategy to deliver superior connectivity experiences and bridge the digital divide across Nigeria,” MTN said in a statement.
MTN also revealed a broader plan to invest ₦800 billion in infrastructure over the course of the year, in line with regulatory requirements following recent tariff reviews.
Meanwhile, Airtel Africa reported it spent $670 million (approximately ₦500 billion) on capital projects in the financial year ending March 2025.
Though slightly below earlier projections due to deferred data center investments, Airtel reaffirmed its commitment to accelerate infrastructure rollout in the coming quarters.
The telecom firm announced a projected capital expenditure of $725 million to $750 million for the next fiscal year, with a strong emphasis on 5G deployment and expanding rural mobile coverage.
Airtel’s investments align with its vision to enhance broadband penetration and support digital inclusion in underserved regions.
As both companies pursue ambitious infrastructure expansion plans, they are also exploring collaborative strategies to optimize resources.
MTN Group and Airtel Africa recently signed a network-sharing agreement in Nigeria and Uganda aimed at improving coverage and reducing operational costs. The partnership is expected to accelerate mobile connectivity, especially in remote areas.
These moves come in the wake of a 50% tariff increase approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in February 2025. The NCC mandated that the additional revenue be channeled into enhancing quality of service within three months.
The recent capital spending announcements by MTN and Airtel appear to be a direct response to this directive.
Despite the heavy investment, consumer complaints about poor network service persist. MTN’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, Ugonwa Nwoye, acknowledged these concerns, stating that the infrastructure upgrades take time to yield visible improvements.
“We understand the frustration of our customers, and we want to assure them that these investments will translate into better service in the coming months,” Nwoye said.
With digital infrastructure being central to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, the substantial investments by MTN and Airtel are seen as a positive step toward improved connectivity, job creation, and technological advancement.
However, industry stakeholders stress the need for sustained accountability to ensure that increased investments lead to tangible service improvements for millions of users nationwide.
