MTN Nigeria Accelerates Fixed Broadband Expansion, Powering Entire Market Growth

MTN Nigeria has become the undisputed leader in the country’s fixed broadband space, transforming what was once a stagnant sector into one of the fastest-growing corners of Nigeria’s telecom industry. Between May and July 2025, the company more than doubled its fixed broadband subscriber base, moving from 14,424 to 29,314 users. This surge accounted for virtually all of the growth in the market during that period.

According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the total number of fixed broadband users in the country rose from 14,599 in May to 29,489 in July. That increase of 14,890 subscribers mirrors the exact figure by which MTN’s own subscriber base grew, which makes it clear that without MTN’s aggressive push, the fixed broadband sector would have remained flat.

By contrast, 21st Century Technologies, the only other licensed operator in the fixed broadband space, has been unable to maintain momentum. The company fell sharply from 2,259 users in April to just 175 in May and has remained at that figure since then. The drop has left MTN with an open runway and virtually no competition in a sector that is critical to Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a fully digital economy.

Heavy investment fuels growth

MTN’s dominance is not by chance. It is the result of unprecedented investment in broadband infrastructure. In the first quarter of 2025, MTN increased its capital expenditure by 159 percent year on year, committing ₦202.4 billion (about 134.5 million dollars) to strengthening its network. By mid-year, that figure had ballooned to ₦565.7 billion, a 288 percent year on year increase. For the full year, the company has earmarked close to ₦900 billion, much of it dedicated to 4G and 5G upgrades, fibre rollout, and passive infrastructure.

The impact of this spending is visible in MTN’s financial results. In the first half of 2025, service revenue grew 54.6 percent year on year to ₦2.4 trillion. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) surged 119.5 percent to ₦1.2 trillion, with margins at 50.6 percent. The company also returned to profitability, posting a profit after tax of ₦414.9 billion compared to a loss during the same period in 2024.

FibreX and the “Own the Home” strategy

In April 2025, MTN rebranded its fibre-to-the-home service under the name FibreX. The service is now available in at least 14 states and represents a key part of the operator’s “Own the Home” strategy. The idea is to combine fibre deployment with 4G and 5G based fixed wireless access to deliver reliable high-speed connectivity even in areas where fibre cannot yet reach.

Ralph Mupita, CEO of MTN Group, has made it clear that the home broadband market is a massive opportunity. “With the right spectral assets, we will scale fixed wireless access aggressively, and in some areas deploy fibre-to-the-home,” he said during a recent briefing in Sandton. This approach means MTN is positioning itself not only as a mobile network provider but also as a central player in household connectivity across Nigeria.

Unlike the early days of fibre broadband in Nigeria, where services were often limited to premium estates and business districts, FibreX is being marketed more widely. MTN has emphasized that it wants to make reliable broadband accessible to middle and lower-income households as well, with packages that blend fibre with fixed wireless access for redundancy.

Broader digital context

MTN’s rapid rise in fixed broadband comes at a time when Nigeria’s national broadband picture remains mixed. The NCC reported that broadband penetration stood at 48.81 percent in May 2025 before slipping slightly to 48.01 percent in July. This is well short of the 70 percent penetration target set under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025, which also aims to expand national fibre coverage from 35,000 kilometers to 125,000 kilometers.

Despite the sluggish penetration numbers, demand for data continues to grow at record levels. In July 2025, Nigerians consumed 1.1 million terabytes of data, the highest monthly usage ever recorded. This indicates that while subscription numbers may be slowing, data usage per subscriber is rising as more Nigerians depend on digital platforms for work, entertainment, education, and everyday transactions.

Infrastructure resilience and new milestones

MTN is also working to improve the resilience of its network. In July 2025, the company launched the Dabengwa Tier-3 data centre, the largest in West Africa. The facility is designed to provide scalable, secure, and reliable hosting services, which are essential for supporting Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.

This is not just about consumer connectivity. By investing in infrastructure such as data centres and extensive fibre networks, MTN is strengthening Nigeria’s backbone for digital services, cloud computing, fintech growth, and future artificial intelligence applications.

The road ahead

With 21st Century Technologies stagnant and no new players entering the fixed broadband market, MTN is effectively unchallenged. Its willingness to pour billions into infrastructure, coupled with its early move to rebrand and reposition fibre services under FibreX, has given it a commanding lead.

The question that remains is whether Nigeria’s overall broadband landscape can keep up. The country is at risk of missing its NBP targets, and while MTN’s progress is impressive, it is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Nationwide broadband penetration will depend not just on private investment but also on regulatory support, spectrum management, and public-private partnerships to drive access beyond urban centres.

For now, MTN’s dominance highlights the benefits of early, substantial investment. The company has effectively taken charge of Nigeria’s fixed broadband future. If current trends continue, it will remain at the centre of the country’s digital transformation for years to come.