In a strategic move to enhance connectivity across Africa, MTN Group and Airtel Africa have entered into network-sharing agreements in Uganda and Nigeria. These collaborations are designed to boost network efficiency, expand coverage, and deliver high-quality mobile services to millions, particularly in remote and underserved communities.
As demand for digital services continues to grow, MTN Group President and CEO, Ralph Mupita, highlighted the importance of investment in connectivity:
“As MTN, we are driven by the vision of delivering digital solutions that drive Africa’s progress. We continue to see strong structural demand for digital and financial services across our markets. To meet this demand, we continue to invest in coverage and capacity to ensure high-quality connectivity for our customers. That said, there are opportunities within regulatory frameworks for sharing resources to drive higher efficiencies and improve returns.”
Echoing this sentiment, Airtel Africa CEO, Sunil Taldar, emphasized the benefits of infrastructure collaboration while maintaining competition:
“As we compete fiercely in the market on the strength of our brand, services, and our offerings, we are building common infrastructure, within the permissible regulatory framework, to provide a more robust and extensive digital highway to drive digital and financial inclusion at the same time avoiding duplication of expensive infrastructure to drive operational efficiencies and benefits for our customers.”
This partnership reflects a growing global trend in network sharing, allowing telecom operators to improve service quality while reducing costs. Infrastructure-sharing agreements such as Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing and fiber infrastructure collaborations are being explored to optimize resources and expand connectivity.
Following the success of agreements in Uganda and Nigeria, MTN and Airtel Africa are considering similar ventures in Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Zambia. Both companies remain open to collaborating with other mobile operators while continuing to function as independent market players, ensuring fair competition in shared markets.
As Africa’s digital transformation accelerates, strategic partnerships like this will play a crucial role in bridging the connectivity gap and enhancing financial inclusion across the continent.
