Twenty-five years after making its first mobile call in Nigeria, MTN is positioning itself for a future where voice may no longer be at the centre of its business, as artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, data and digital platforms reshape the telecommunications industry.
The telecoms giant now has about 96 million customers and is investing heavily in infrastructure while developing new digital services that could drive its next phase of growth.
MTN Nigeria has invested approximately N1.6 trillion in capital expenditure over the past 18 months, according to its Chief Financial Officer, Modupe Kadri.
The company also paid more than N620 billion in taxes and other payments during the period.
The scale of the investment reflects the growing pressure on Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure as millions of subscribers increasingly rely on mobile networks for activities beyond traditional voice calls.
From streaming and social media to mobile banking, online businesses, remote work and digital entertainment, data has become central to how Nigerians communicate and conduct business.
For MTN, the shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
The company must continuously expand its network capacity to support rising data consumption while developing additional businesses around the connectivity it already provides to millions of Nigerians.
Reflecting on MTN’s 25-year journey in Nigeria, Kadri said the company had consistently remained at the forefront of technological development.
“The good thing is that MTN has brought that technology to Nigerians. Over the past 25 years, MTN has been leading the way,” he said.
The evolution from traditional voice calls and SMS to data-based communication has fundamentally changed the telecommunications industry.
Platforms such as WhatsApp and other digital applications now allow customers to communicate without relying primarily on conventional voice and SMS services.
As a result, MTN’s strategy is increasingly focused on what customers do after connecting to its network.
Fintech is one of the areas the company sees as having significant growth potential.
MTN’s large customer base and extensive distribution network provide an existing platform through which financial and other digital services can reach millions of Nigerians.
Kadri said changes in the regulatory environment had created additional opportunities for fintech expansion.
“What our customers can look forward to in the FinTech space is greater use of artificial intelligence and other technologies to deliver more benefits to customers,” he said.
The company is seeking to deepen its relationship with customers by offering a wider range of services rather than relying mainly on voice, SMS and data revenues.
Artificial intelligence is also becoming an important part of MTN’s strategy.
The company is exploring how AI can help it understand customers better, improve segmentation and targeting, analyse customer behaviour and increase operational efficiency.
AI could also help MTN predict network demand and determine where additional infrastructure will be required.
For a telecommunications operator managing millions of customers and increasingly complex networks, the ability to use data and AI to make faster and more accurate decisions could provide a significant competitive advantage.
Kadri said the pace of technological development made it difficult to predict exactly what the industry would look like over the next 25 years.
“Technology evolves very quickly, and it is driven by use cases,” he said.
Despite the growing focus on digital services, MTN’s network remains the foundation of its business.
The company’s 96 million customers are consuming more data as video streaming, social media, digital payments, cloud applications and other digital services become part of everyday life.
This is increasing pressure on network capacity, making MTN’s N1.6 trillion capital expenditure over the past 18 months critical to its future plans.
The company is using forecasting and other tools to identify future demand and areas of opportunity, allowing it to plan network capacity ahead of expected growth.
The next phase of connectivity could create even greater infrastructure requirements as the industry moves beyond 5G and prepares for newer technologies.
Fibre infrastructure will be particularly important in this transition.
The Federal Government’s proposed 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic network could provide an important foundation for expanding high-speed connectivity across Nigeria.
For MTN, wider fibre coverage could support the expansion of broadband and digital services beyond the country’s major urban centres.
The significance of the proposed network also extends beyond telecommunications, as fibre infrastructure is critical for cloud computing, data centres, AI applications, enterprise networks and other digital businesses expected to drive Nigeria’s technology economy.
MTN has indicated interest in participating in the broader expansion of connectivity.
However, improved network coverage alone will not guarantee digital inclusion.
Access to affordable smartphones remains a challenge for many Nigerians. As network technologies become more advanced, consumers need devices capable of supporting 4G, 5G and increasingly sophisticated applications.
MTN is working with device manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers to improve access to smartphones while limiting inventory risks in a market where technology changes rapidly.
The company also wants manufacturers to expand distribution beyond Nigeria’s major cities.
Entertainment is another area where MTN is expanding its digital ambitions.
A’isha Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the company’s Next Afrobeats Star platform was entering its second season.
She added that MTN was also producing other family-friendly and educational content.
The strategy is aimed at turning connectivity into a broader digital relationship with customers.
A customer who uses MTN for calls and data while also accessing entertainment, financial services and other digital products creates more opportunities for engagement than one who uses the network solely for traditional telecommunications services.
MTN does not necessarily need to own every service. Its advantage could lie in providing the network, distribution, customer relationship and infrastructure through which digital products can reach millions of Nigerians.
The transformation comes as Nigeria’s telecommunications industry faces rising costs of equipment, energy and network operations.
At the same time, customers continue to demand better connectivity and services while remaining sensitive to prices.
MTN’s response is to combine continued investment in network infrastructure with efforts to develop new digital revenue streams.
Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer Relations and Experience Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the company would continue to focus on technology and customer experience.
“Our job as MTN is to always be at the forefront of technology, to ensure that we are able at any point in time to provide our customers with the right levels of experience and stay true to our commitment to make their lives better,” Nwoye said.
MTN’s 25th anniversary therefore comes at a significant point in the company’s Nigerian operations.
Its first 25 years were largely focused on connecting Nigerians.
The next 25 could be about building a broader digital ecosystem around that connectivity.
As AI, fintech, data and digital platforms become increasingly important to Nigeria’s economy, MTN’s biggest challenge may no longer be simply connecting more people.
It will be determining how effectively it can turn its extensive network and customer base into a platform for the next generation of Nigeria’s digital economy.
