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MTN-9mobile Spectrum Lease: A Necessary Lifeline for 9mobile Subscribers, Not a Threat to Competition – National Daily Analysis

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The National Daily Newspaper (www.nationaldailyng.com) urges the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecom stakeholders to support the spectrum leasing arrangement between MTN Nigeria and 9mobile, arguing it’s a crucial intervention to save 9mobile and stabilize the market, not a threat to competition as alleged by Globacom.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 22, 2025

Emmanuel Abiodun

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The National Daily Newspaper (www.nationaldailyng.com) urges the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and stakeholders in the telecoms industry to support the spectrum leasing arrangement between MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile).

This transaction, which was exclusively reported as being challenged by Globacom Limited by online news platform Technology Times, is not a threat to market competition, as alleged by Globacom — but rather, a critical intervention to rescue 9mobile from imminent collapse, while preserving subscriber dignity, sustaining jobs, and stabilizing the telecoms sector.

9mobile Is on Life Support—This Lease Keeps It Alive

Over the past several years, 9mobile has struggled under the weight of operational challenges, legacy debt, and dwindling investments. Millions of Nigerians relying on the network have been left in digital limbo, facing call failures, slow internet speeds, and poor service coverage.

The spectrum lease agreement is a strategic monetization of underutilized resources, giving 9mobile a much-needed revenue injection and a chance to refocus on its core operations.

Blocking this deal would accelerate its decline, potentially forcing another operator out of Nigeria’s fragile telecoms market.

Saving Competition by Preventing Collapse

Contrary to Globacom’s position, allowing this deal helps preserve—not undermine competition.

A market without 9mobile would leave consumers with fewer choices and create a deeper imbalance than any temporary spectrum sharing ever could.

The MTN-9mobile lease does not equate to permanent spectrum acquisition. It is a regulated, time-bound, and NCC-approved arrangement designed to uphold service continuity and safeguard market diversity.

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Spectrum Is About Capacity, Not Monopoly

In a digital-first economy, spectrum is the fuel for innovation and accessibility.

The NCC maintains robust oversight to ensure that no operator wields spectrum in a way that distorts competition.

Allowing MTN to temporarily utilize 9mobile’s idle spectrum ensures it is put to work in service of the Nigerian people—instead of lying fallow while customers suffer.

A Win for Digital Inclusion

This partnership aligns with Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda.

It supports improved network performance, encourages infrastructure sharing, and strengthens rural connectivity—goals that benefit all, not just the operators involved.

National Daily’s Position: Prioritize Subscribers, Stabilize the Sector

The National Daily Newspaper calls on the NCC to stand firm on its approval of this spectrum lease.

Subscriber welfare, market stability, and national digital growth must be placed ahead of competitive posturing.

Let us act in the best interest of over 11 million 9mobile subscribers, thousands of employees, and Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy.