MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has confirmed it will lease frequency spectrum from T2 Mobile Limited (formerly 9Mobile) starting October 1, 2025, in a deal that strengthens both companies’ collaboration and signals broader shifts in Nigeria’s telecom market.
According to a statement filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved the lease arrangement, which covers 5MHz frequency division duplex (FDD) in the 900MHz band and 15MHz FDD in the 1800MHz band. The agreement will run for three years.
Enhancing Capacity and Supporting National Roaming
The leased spectrum will underpin MTN’s recently signed national roaming agreement with T2 Mobile, which allows T2 subscribers to use MTN’s extensive infrastructure in areas where T2 has limited coverage. This arrangement is designed to improve customer experience while ensuring efficient use of spectrum resources.
MTN Nigeria’s CEO, Karl Toriola, described the development as a strategic milestone aligned with the company’s Ambition 2025 strategy.
“By leveraging additional spectrum resources, we are enhancing network capacity in a cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable way,” Toriola said. “We are also fostering a more collaborative telecom ecosystem — signing a national roaming agreement with T2 and onboarding Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) — to drive innovation, broadband access, and Nigeria’s digital transformation.”
The lease underscores MTN’s push toward industry collaboration and infrastructure sharing, which are increasingly viewed as vital for driving digital inclusion and sustaining long-term growth in the Nigerian telecom sector.
End of Ntel Spectrum Lease
Alongside the new agreement, MTN announced it will not renew its existing lease with Natcom Development and Investment Ltd (Ntel), which expires on November 29, 2025. The outgoing arrangement had provided MTN with 5MHz FDD in the 900MHz band and 10MHz FDD in the 1800MHz band across 17 states.
By consolidating resources with T2 Mobile instead, MTN appears to be streamlining its partnerships to maximize efficiency and ensure alignment with its broader strategic goals.
T2 Mobile’s Rebrand and Subscriber Growth
For T2 Mobile, formerly 9Mobile, the partnership with MTN offers a much-needed boost. Once the fourth-largest operator in Nigeria, the company had struggled with declining subscriber numbers over several years. However, in July 2025, it recorded its first subscriber growth of the year, adding 290,601 new users. Analysts attributed the rebound largely to its infrastructure-sharing deal with MTN.
Despite the gain, T2 Mobile still holds only 1.61% market share, compared with MTN’s dominant 52.7%, according to NCC data. Airtel, Globacom, and MTN all saw declines in the same period, with Nigeria’s total active subscriptions falling from 171.5 million in June to 169.1 million in July 2025. The country’s teledensity also dipped slightly to 78.11% from 79.22%, reflecting broader market pressures.
Driving Digital Inclusion
The spectrum lease is more than a technical arrangement; it highlights MTN’s role in shaping Nigeria’s connectivity landscape. By pooling resources and supporting competitors through roaming and infrastructure sharing, MTN and T2 are contributing to the NCC’s broader goal of expanding digital access nationwide.
For subscribers, the deal promises improved coverage and more reliable service, while for the industry, it sets the stage for deeper collaboration in an increasingly competitive and capital-intensive market.
