MTN Nigeria Signals Market Dominance with Record N202.4bn Q1 Network Investment
Samuel Mobolaji
In a period marked by economic uncertainty and cautious corporate spending, MTN Nigeria has made a bold move, investing ₦202.4 billion in capital expenditure in the first quarter of 2025 alone—a 159 per cent increase year-on-year.
This aggressive investment, the highest in the company’s history for a single quarter, underscores MTN’s commitment to consolidating its market leadership through network expansion, infrastructure upgrades, and digital capacity building. The telecom giant is banking on scale, speed, and service quality as the foundation for long-term growth in Nigeria’s increasingly digital economy.
The strategy is already showing results. MTN posted a ₦133.7 billion profit after tax in Q1 2025, reversing a ₦392.7 billion loss recorded in the same period last year. Subscriber numbers rose to 84.1 million, with active data users climbing to 50.3 million, representing a 13 per cent growth. Service revenue also surged by 40.5 per cent year-on-year to ₦1.06 trillion, driven by strong demand for digital connectivity.
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MTN’s Q1 spending is focused on expanding network coverage, enhancing infrastructure in high-demand areas, and fortifying its digital platforms to handle increasing user traffic. In a country where connectivity gaps continue to limit economic inclusion and productivity, this level of investment could deliver tangible benefits to businesses, content creators, and remote workers alike.
The company’s approach reflects a strategic pivot away from short-term caution to long-term positioning. Rather than retreating in the face of macroeconomic headwinds, MTN is doubling down—signalling confidence not just in its business model, but in Nigeria’s digital future.
Despite ongoing challenges such as inflation, foreign exchange volatility, and regulatory pressures, MTN’s record capital injection sets a new tone in the telecom industry. It marks not only a bet on growth, but a clear intention to lead the country’s digital transformation from the front.
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