NCC approves renewal of MTN/Ntel spectrum lease agreement

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved the renewal of MTN Nigeria spectrum lease agreement with Natcom Development and Investment (Ntel). Ntel is the successor to Nitel and is managed by Natcoms. Uto Ukpanah, MTN Company Secretary, said that the agreement would cover the lease of Ntel’s 5 MHz frequency division duplex (FDD) in the 900 MHz spectrum band and 10 MHz FDD in the 1800MHz spectrum band which spans nineteen states.
The renewal is for another two years with effect from May 1, 2025.
The NCC has also approved a one-year lease expansion of the spectrums for the other seventeen states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) effective Jan. 1, 2025. MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said the lease enables it to enhance 3G and 4G user service as it improves coverage and capacity by using the spectrum. “We are pleased with the renewal of the spectrum lease agreement with NTEL, which now includes coverage for all states, including the FCT. The lease enables us to enhance our 3G and 4G user experience as we improve coverage and capacity by utilising the spectrums. This positions us to capitalise on the growing demand for data and improve the delivery of services to our customers,” he said.