MTN’s Over ₦757 Billion Accelerated Capex Investment Reinfo....

Amidst economic turbulence, MTN Nigeria has deployed a staggering N757.4 billion in capital expenditure, excluding leases, for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 – a monumental 248.0% increase over the previous year. This aggressive investment is a deliberate corporate strategy aimed at enhancing network capacity and quality of service (QoS) for its over 85.4 million subscribers, fulfilling a critical commitment to the government and customers.

This investment surge is vital in tackling network congestion and ensuring reliable connectivity across the nation, especially as the active data user base swelled to 51.1 million. The Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, emphasised that the acceleration of capital investment was undertaken to “improve quality of service in line with our commitment to our customers and the government”. The investment was directed toward capacity expansion, deployment of additional sites, rollout of its Fibre-to-the-Home network, and development of a new data centre.

The company, which already boasts of over 82% 4G population coverage, providing access to over 119 million people, is also the first to roll out 5G in Nigeria, reaching an estimated 15 million citizens. This network expansion is the practical delivery of the corporate vision that “everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life”.

MTN’s financial might is further demonstrated by its immense fiscal contribution. The company has transparently reported that it has paid over ₦6.9 Trillion in taxes, levies, and duties contribution, making it one of the largest corporate entities supporting the national treasury. The recent reversal of its prior year loss to a Profit After Tax (PAT) of ₦750.2 billion provides robust financial backing for sustained future investment.

According to Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, “we are driving digital and financial inclusion, supporting our communities and national priorities as captured in the core pillars of our Ambition Beyond 2025”. This vision is tangibly supported by the N742.6 billion Free Cash Flow (FCF) generated, up 38.5%, which provides the necessary financial flexibility to continue investing prudently and delivering sustainable long-term value for its extensive base of shareholders.