MTN Nigeria and 9mobile have started testing a major radio access network-sharing deal, with a full nationwide launch expected by the end of July, pending system stability confirmation.

Under the agreement approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission, 9mobile—serving around three million subscribers—will tap into MTN’s wide-reaching radio access infrastructure while continuing to operate its own core network, billing systems, and customer identity platforms.

The Chief Executive Officer of 9mobile, Obafemi Banigbe, described the agreement as a major milestone in the company’s ongoing recovery strategy.

“Today, we are proud to confirm that we have entered into a three-year national infrastructure-sharing agreement with MTN,” Banigbe said at a joint press conference held in Lagos, Thursday.

“This partnership allows us to deliver better coverage by leveraging MTN’s radio access infrastructure in areas where we do not currently have a presence. It is not a merger or coalition, it is a commercial partnership grounded in industry efficiency.”

The move comes at a critical juncture for 9mobile, which has faced a sharp downturn over the past decade. Once a major force in Nigeria’s telecom sector with over 23 million subscribers in 2015, its user base has dwindled to around three million in 2025—representing just 1.9% of the market, the lowest among the country’s mobile network operators.

This decline has been fueled by persistent issues, including poor network quality, frequent service outages, and inadequate customer support. Many users have reported complete loss of signal in certain areas, slow internet speeds, and unresolved service complaints, prompting a mass exodus to rival networks.

NCC data shows that 9mobile recorded over 6,000 port-out losses in just two months toward the end of 2024, with only minimal gains from incoming port-in traffic.

According to the company’s CEO, the partnership with MTN—Nigeria’s largest operator with 90 million subscribers—will enable 9mobile to channel its limited capital into improving service quality and driving innovation, rather than spending on duplicating infrastructure.

“There is no freeloading here. This is not a subsidy or favour. Our subscribers remain 9mobile subscribers; they are billed by 9mobile, and their experience remains seamless,” Banigbe added.

The Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Nigeria, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, said the agreement demonstrates a new model for collaboration in the industry.

“We are excited to be part of a transition from pure competition to co-opetition, collaborating in areas where we can drive efficiency, while still competing on innovation and service quality,” she said.

Saint-Nwafor praised the Nigerian Communications Commission and its Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, for creating a regulatory environment that supports infrastructure optimisation.

She also commended the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, for championing shared infrastructure as a key national priority.