KAMPALA, Uganda — MTN Group and Airtel Africa have agreed to share network infrastructure in Uganda and Nigeria to improve network quality and expand coverage.
The agreement aims to provide better services to customers, particularly in rural areas, while reducing costs.
MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita said the move is driven by sustained demand for data services across Africa. “As MTN, we are driven by the vision of delivering digital solutions that drive Africa’s progress,” Mupita said.
Mupita noted that telecom operators are seeing sustained demand for data services. “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.”
Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar noted that the agreement will provide a more robust and extensive digital highway, driving digital and financial inclusion. “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.”
The initiative is part of a growing global trend toward network sharing, enabling telecoms operators to explore innovative solutions to improve service quality while managing costs.
For Ugandan customers, the agreement is expected to improve network quality, expand coverage and enhance mobile services. MTN Uganda and Airtel Uganda will continue to compete freely in the market, providing customers with a wider range of services and promotions.
