​MTN Group and Airtel Africa have entered into agreements to share mobile network infrastructure in Nigeria and Uganda. This strategic collaboration aims to reduce investment costs and expand service coverage, particularly in underserved rural areas. ​

By sharing infrastructure, both companies seek to meet the growing demand for digital and financial services while managing the substantial expenses associated with building and maintaining networks, especially during the transition to 5G technology. MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita highlighted that such resource-sharing opportunities can drive higher operational efficiencies and improve returns. ​

Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar emphasized that the agreement will prevent the duplication of costly infrastructure, allowing for more rapid network expansion, particularly in less densely populated regions. Following the implementations in Nigeria and Uganda, MTN and Airtel plan to explore similar collaborations in other African markets, including Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Zambia. Potential areas of cooperation include radio access network sharing and fiber infrastructure sharing. ​

This partnership reflects a broader trend in the telecommunications industry toward network sharing, aiming to enhance service quality and manage costs more effectively. Both companies have stated that this engagement does not preclude them from collaborating with other operators in any respective market. ​