MTN said its investment in Nigeria’s telecom market has hit $1 billion in 2025 and is currently working to ensure broadband penetration levels above 70 per cent, with a focus on hybrid connectivity solutions to improve access across communities.

Chief Financial Officer of MTN Nigeria, Modupe Kadri, disclosed this on a television programme, where he shared further insights on the performance of the telco in the last financial year and outlook for the sector in the new year.

Kadiri said MTN achieved strong results that stood out among its peers. He said the company reported a 22.9 per cent increase in inflows to 392.2 million, while third-quarter (Q3) 2025 inflows surged, with total industry investment exceeding $1 billion. As part of its infrastructure expansion, MTN also deployed more than 2,850 new network sites across the country.

Addressing questions on whether the increased income would translate into improved quality of service, a commitment previously made by the company, Kadri emphasised the capital-intensive nature of the telecommunications industry, noting that even when the capital is available, improvements in network infrastructure take time to materialise.

The CFO disclosed that MTN spent about N1 trillion in 2025, significantly higher than its 2024 investment levels, but cautioned that the impact of such investments will take time to be fully realised.

“We are not out of the woods yet, but we will continue now that we have a business case to make this investment,” Kadri said.

He further noted that MTN is funding much of its expansion through operational cash flow, while private investment continues to support growth and infrastructure development.

On the broader outlook for the telecommunications sector, Kadri highlighted the growing need to expand connectivity as Nigeria’s population increases. He noted that areas previously classified as rural require improved population coverage.

To address this, MTN has been looking for means to accelerate investment in these areas. MTN plans to exceed its 2025 investment levels, including initiatives such as the Bridge Project and what he described as a “satellite revolution” aimed at closing the rural connectivity gap.

“The company is also targeting broadband penetration levels above 70 per cent, with a focus on hybrid connectivity solutions to improve access across communities,” he stated.

The Guardian checks showed that Nigeria’s broadband penetration hit a record 53 per cent in January 2026, driven by infrastructure expansion from operators like MTN and Airtel.
While this reflected strong growth from ~45 per cent in early 2025, it fell short of the 70 per cent target set for the end of 2025.

With the sector still facing infrastructure deficits and high operational costs, there were roughly 182 million active mobile subscriptions. 4G dominates at 53.4 per cent penetration, with 5G networks expanding, connecting 7.2 million users (3.94 per cent of users) as of January 2026.