Nigerian telecoms billionaire Mike Adenuga has formally objected to a growing alliance between telecom giants MTN Group and Airtel Africa, warning that their newly signed network infrastructure-sharing deal could deepen market concentration and disrupt fair competition across Nigeria’s digital economy.
Adenuga, chairman of Globacom and Nigeria’s second-richest individual with a net worth of $6.8 billion, expressed his concerns in a letter to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), cautioning that granting additional spectrum or infrastructure leeway to MTN would tilt the scales unfairly in favour of the South African-led operator.
A Market Already Skewed?
At the core of Adenuga’s concern is the massive spectrum advantage already held by MTN, bolstered by its acquisition of Visafone (once owned by banker Jim Ovia) and spectrum leasing arrangements with 9Mobile. Adenuga argues that any further approvals in favour of MTN, including those embedded in the proposed infrastructure deal with Airtel, risk turning Nigeria’s telecom landscape into a quasi-duopoly.
“Granting MTN additional spectrum or infrastructure flexibility distorts the market, shrinks competition, and could raise consumer costs,” Adenuga warned in his correspondence with the NCC.
His position underscores a broader tension in Nigeria’s telecom sector: between consolidation for efficiency and diversity for competition.
MTN-Airtel: Cost Efficiency or Market Domination?
The MTN–Airtel agreement, which includes shared infrastructure like fibre networks, Radio Access Network (RAN) partnerships, and other operational collaborations, is designed to reduce costs and extend service to underserved areas—particularly rural Nigeria.
However, despite its development potential, the deal has ignited concerns that the combined market dominance of both companies—controlling more than 70% of Nigeria’s mobile subscriber base—could create insurmountable barriers for smaller players.
Both MTN and Airtel have faced intense margin pressure recently due to Nigeria’s currency depreciation and rising energy costs. Analysts say this deal could help them avoid duplicative infrastructure investment. But for critics like Adenuga, it also presents a risk of structural monopoly, especially if regulatory oversight lags.
Globacom’s Counter Strategy: Expand, Innovate, Engage
While battling on regulatory turf, Globacom is also investing heavily in its digital future. The company has ramped up retail expansion, launching a new Gloworld flagship store in Maiduguri—a strategic move into northeastern Nigeria, where demand for mobile connectivity is surging.
In addition, Globacom is doubling down on digital innovation hubs, rolling out its first hub in Lagos and announcing plans to launch others in Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Abuja by mid-2025. These hubs aim to nurture local startups, boost digital literacy, and drive Nigeria’s broader push towards tech-driven economic inclusion.
Richlist Nigeria Commentary
Mike Adenuga’s intervention is not just about regulatory caution—it’s a billionaire’s strategic defense of market plurality in one of Africa’s most important telecom arenas. As the architect of Globacom’s pan-African footprint, Adenuga remains a formidable voice in the industry, and his objections signal that Nigeria’s telecom future won’t be shaped without resistance from legacy operators with deep infrastructure and capital bases.
The MTN-Airtel deal is part of a broader trend of African telecom consolidation, with similar partnerships being explored in Rwanda, Zambia, and Congo-Brazzaville. As such, Nigeria’s handling of this case could set the tone for how regulators across the continent address competition, innovation, and infrastructure access.
For now, the question looms: will the NCC back a future of collaboration and shared growth, or intervene to preserve the competitive diversity that players like Globacom insist is vital for consumer choice and national digital equity?
