As Nigeria pushes toward wider broadband penetration and digital inclusion, MTN Nigeria says it has continued to strengthen its network infrastructure while increasing investments in education, healthcare and online safety initiatives across the country.
The telecommunications giant disclosed in its 2025 Sustainability Report that its network coverage expanded to 93.7 per cent of Nigeria’s population in 2025, up from 93 per cent recorded in 2024. The growth, according to the company, was driven largely by the rollout of additional base stations in rural and underserved communities.
Part of the expansion included the deployment of 229 integrated renewable energy-powered rural telephony sites under its “Project Zero” initiative, aimed at extending connectivity to remote locations using solar-powered infrastructure. MTN also revealed that broadband penetration within its network footprint climbed to 90.1 per cent, while its 4G population coverage remained steady at approximately 82 per cent.
The development comes as demand for digital services continues to rise across Nigeria, particularly in rural areas where access to reliable internet connectivity has historically remained limited.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that MTN Nigeria maintained its position as the country’s largest telecom operator in 2025, accounting for more than half of all active GSM subscriptions nationwide. The company currently serves about 89.64 million active mobile lines.
Beyond network expansion, MTN Nigeria said it increased its investment in social-impact programmes during the year, committing about N2.7 billion to initiatives that impacted over 534,000 Nigerians through the MTN Foundation.
The programmes covered several sectors, including community development, maternal healthcare, youth empowerment and digital access.
Under its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) scholarship programme, the company awarded scholarships worth N300,000 annually to 300 students studying science and technology-related courses in public tertiary institutions. Beneficiaries are expected to retain the support until graduation.
MTN also sustained its Scholarship for Blind Students initiative alongside the Top-10 UTME Scholarship scheme designed to reward outstanding academic performance among young Nigerians.
In partnership with state governments, the telecom operator distributed more than 25,000 learning devices to support digital learning and improve access to educational resources for students across different parts of the country.
Another major focus for the company in 2025 was child online protection amid increasing concerns over cyberbullying, online grooming and children’s exposure to harmful digital content.
Through its “Help Children Be Children” campaign, MTN Nigeria introduced school sensitisation programmes, parental awareness workshops and collaborations with civil society organisations to promote safer internet usage among young people.
The company noted that the initiative was designed to encourage responsible digital behaviour while equipping parents, teachers and guardians with tools to monitor and guide children online.
However, despite the gains in connectivity and digital inclusion, MTN Nigeria continued to face infrastructure-related challenges during the year.
The telecom operator disclosed that it spent more than N1 billion on infrastructure repairs and security interventions following 9,218 fibre cuts recorded across the country in 2025. According to the company, many of the incidents were linked to vandalism, theft and damage to telecom infrastructure.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that persistent attacks on telecom assets remain a major threat to service quality and network reliability in Nigeria, especially as operators continue to invest heavily in broadband expansion.
MTN Nigeria said it would continue collaborating with government agencies, regulators and local communities to protect critical telecom infrastructure while accelerating efforts aimed at deepening digital access nationwide.