Airtel Africa, a provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, has announced that its subsidiary, Airtel Networks, has purchased 100 MHz of spectrum in the 3500MHz band and 2x5MHz of 2600MHz from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for a gross consideration of US$316.7mn
The additional spectrum will support the company’s investments in network expansion for both mobile data and fixed wireless home broadband capability, including 5G rollout, providing significant capacity to accommodate continued data growth in the country.
The acquisition of 5G spectrum will underpin Airtel Africa’s growth strategy by enabling the launch of higher speed connectivity to enhance customer service and accelerate digitalisation for consumers, enterprises and the public sector. The key benefits of 5G will include higher speeds, lower latency, significant network capacity, as well as an improved user experience. Furthermore, the deployment of 5G will accelerate the availability and efficiency of fixed wireless access products across the country, contributing towards progress in meeting the National Broadband Plan targets. The acquisition of 2600MHz spectrum will complement its already strong spectrum position in the market to enhance network capacity and future-proof their growth opportunity.
Segun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel Africa, commented, “Nigeria is a market with enormous potential for future growth in mobile services. Investment in new technologies and local infrastructure to enable this growth is a strategic priority for the group and will ensure we are able to provide reliable and affordable services to local communities across the country. 5G is critical to these ambitions, and we look forward to launching new services to drive further digitalisation across the country, facilitate economic progress and transform lives across Nigeria.”
