MTN Group and Airtel Africa have entered into landmark agreements to share network infrastructure in Nigeria and Uganda, a move aimed at expanding digital and financial inclusion while improving operational efficiency across key African markets.
The deal is expected to enhance network quality and broaden coverage for both operators, particularly in underserved rural areas. By jointly using infrastructure, MTN and Airtel can reduce capital expenditure and avoid duplication, while meeting local regulatory requirements and ensuring greater connectivity for consumers.
“As MTN, we are driven by the vision of delivering digital solutions that drive Africa’s progress,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita. “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. That said, there are opportunities within regulatory frameworks for sharing resources to drive higher efficiencies and improve returns.”
Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar echoed this view, stating: “As we compete fiercely in the market on the strength of our brand, services, and offerings, we are building common infrastructure—within the permissible regulatory framework—to provide a more robust and extensive digital highway to drive inclusion. At the same time, we avoid duplicating expensive infrastructure, delivering operational efficiencies and benefits for our customers.”
The deal comes as infrastructure sharing becomes increasingly common across emerging and developed markets. In India, operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have long embraced tower and fiber-sharing arrangements to accelerate 4G and 5G rollouts. In Europe, regulators in countries like Germany and the UK have encouraged shared RAN (Radio Access Network) models to reduce environmental impact and accelerate rural connectivity. Kenya and South Africa have also adopted shared infrastructure frameworks to reduce costs and speed up digital access.
Following agreements in Nigeria and Uganda, MTN and Airtel are exploring similar partnerships in Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Zambia. These may include RAN sharing, joint use of fiber assets, and co-investment in new infrastructure where needed.
“Operators are caught in a challenging cycle where legacy networks are becoming increasingly costly to maintain, yet full decommissioning is still years away,” said an industry executive familiar with the matter. “The continued reliance on outdated infrastructure hinders deployment of next-generation technologies like 5G and fiber, and increases operational costs – especially during major outages.”
The agreement, which could cover up to 90% of their combined network footprint in the two countries, also signals progress for the region’s mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), who are expected to benefit from the expanded access to shared infrastructure, removing barriers to entry and fostering broader digital inclusion.
