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Network Sharing Agreements to Improve Coverage, Cost Efficiency, and Service Quality.
MTN Group and Airtel Africa have entered into landmark agreements to share network infrastructure in Uganda and Nigeria, a move designed to expand digital and financial inclusion across Africa while ensuring compliance with local regulatory and statutory requirements.
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The collaboration aims to enhance mobile services, extend coverage, and improve cost efficiencies, particularly in remote and underserved areas. By reducing infrastructure duplication and optimizing resources, both telecom giants seek to accelerate connectivity and bridge Africa’s digital divide.
Addressing Africa’s Growing Demand for Digital and Financial Services
MTN Group President and CEO, Ralph Mupita, emphasized that the demand for data and digital financial services continues to grow across the continent.
“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 are investing 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,” Mupita stated.
His counterpart, Airtel Africa CEO, Sunil Taldar, highlighted that the network-sharing model allows telecom providers to expand their reach while reducing infrastructure costs.
“As we compete fiercely in the market on the strength of our brand, services, and offerings, we are also building common infrastructure, within the permissible regulatory framework, to provide a more robust and extensive digital highway.
This approach not only drives digital and financial inclusion but also avoids duplication of expensive infrastructure, leading to greater operational efficiencies and benefits for our customers,” Taldar explained.
Network Sharing: A Strategic Move for Africa’s Digital Future
The agreement is part of a growing global trend toward network-sharing, which enables operators to:
- Improve service quality by optimizing network coverage and capacity.
- Enhance cost efficiency by reducing infrastructure investment duplication.
- Accelerate rural connectivity by deploying mobile and financial services to underserved communities.
- Strengthen industry collaboration while maintaining competitive independence.
Following the successful agreements in Uganda and Nigeria, MTN and Airtel Africa are exploring additional partnerships in other African markets, including:
- Congo-Brazzaville
- Rwanda
- Zambia
Future Expansion: Fibre Networks, RAN Sharing, and Next-Generation Infrastructure
MTN and Airtel Africa are not only focusing on traditional mobile infrastructure but are also evaluating new ways to expand connectivity and improve service reliability. Among the key initiatives under consideration are:
- RAN (Radio Access Network) sharing to reduce deployment costs and maximize efficiency.
- Fibre infrastructure sharing to enhance broadband services across multiple markets.
- Joint construction of fibre networks where needed to improve backhaul capacity.
Maintaining Market Competition While Advancing Digital Growth
Despite working together on network-sharing initiatives, both MTN Group and Airtel Africa will continue to operate independently and compete freely in their respective markets.
The partnership does not exclude future collaborations with other telecom operators, as both companies remain committed to fostering an open and competitive telecommunications landscape in Africa.
By embracing innovative network-sharing solutions, MTN and Airtel Africa are taking a strategic step toward a more connected, inclusive, and digitally empowered Africa.
