MTN Nigeria is gearing up for a substantial capital expenditure (CAPEX) expansion in the 2026 fiscal year, aligning its investment strategy with the Federal Government’s ambition to grow Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy.
The proposed investment push was disclosed during a high-level meeting in Abuja between senior executives of MTN Group and Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.
The MTN delegation was led by Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita, alongside MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola and Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer Tobe Okigbo.
Although the company did not reveal the exact size of the planned investment, executives indicated that the next funding cycle would focus on expanding network capacity, enhancing service quality, and upgrading digital infrastructure. These improvements are seen as critical to boosting productivity in fast-growing sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, manufacturing, and logistics.
Nigeria’s digital economy is estimated to contribute between 18 and 20 per cent of GDP. However, scaling this contribution will require broader broadband penetration, lower-latency networks, and stronger rural connectivity.
Mupita emphasised that achieving Nigeria’s macroeconomic targets will depend heavily on a resilient communications backbone capable of supporting enterprise digitisation and industrial expansion. He described telecom infrastructure as a foundational element of economic transformation rather than a supporting add-on.
The timing of the announcement follows recent regulatory measures, including spectrum trade approvals and tariff adjustments, which operators have long advocated as necessary to offset inflationary pressures and currency volatility. According to Mupita, these reforms have helped stabilise the sector and enable more predictable long-term planning.
As MTN’s largest and most strategic market, Nigeria plays a central role in the group’s revenue profile. A stable and transparent regulatory environment, analysts say, strengthens the company’s case for deeper capital commitments.
Minister Tijani welcomed MTN’s investment intentions but underscored the importance of accountability. He noted that continued government support would be tied to measurable service improvements and adherence to consumer protection standards. He also stressed the need to preserve healthy competition in the telecom space, cautioning against market dynamics that could lead to monopolistic dominance.
Beyond traditional infrastructure, discussions also explored artificial intelligence and Nigeria’s ambition to take a leading position in Africa’s AI ecosystem. A key focal point is the country’s proposed National Large Language Model initiative, aimed at developing AI systems tailored to local languages and contexts.
Mupita signalled MTN’s readiness to deepen collaboration in AI integration, highlighting its growing importance in areas such as network optimisation, fraud detection, customer service automation, and enterprise solutions. For telecom operators worldwide, AI is increasingly embedded in core operations rather than treated as an experimental add-on.
Both parties concluded the meeting by emphasising digital skills development as a parallel priority. As MTN advances its Ambition 2030 strategy, it pledged closer collaboration with the ministry to strengthen workforce readiness.
The broader message is clear: expanding fibre networks and rolling out 5G will not be enough without the engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity experts, and AI specialists required to maximise their value.
MTN’s renewed capital commitment signals confidence in Nigeria’s long-term potential. Whether that confidence translates into measurable economic gains will depend on consistent regulation, skilled talent development, and sustained macroeconomic stability.
