Newsroom
L-R: Adeyemi Adepetu, Panel Moderator/ICT Editor, The Guardian; Usman Mahman, Director, Licensing & Authorisation, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Tony Emoekpere, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Chidi Ajuzie, Director, USK Mobile; Olusola Teniola, Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, ipNX and Dr Tola Yusuf, Executive Director & Cofounder, Infratel at the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum which held at Citiheights Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, 26th August, 2025.
Nigeria’s leading information and communications technology company, ipNX, has called for improved stakeholder collaboration and localized differentiation to support the successful launch and sustainability of the Nigerian Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) sector. This call was made by Olusola Teniola, Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, ipNX, at the sixth edition of the Telecoms Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF), hosted by Business Remarks on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Olusola stated that the challenges hindering the successful take-off of MVNOs are not insurmountable but require a practical approach which focuses on niche audience segments and ensures commercial viability for all parties. The forum, which held in Lagos, convened key stakeholders, including regulators, operators, industry associations, and the media to discuss sustainable pathways for Nigeria’s MVNO future.
Speaking on the panel that explored the theme “Unlocking Nigeria’s MVNO Potential: Status, Trends, Investment and Future Prospects”, Mr Teniola noted that “affordability, rural connectivity, and infrastructure challenges must be placed at the heart of Nigeria’s MVNO strategy” if it is to drive real value. Drawing from global experience in developed markets, he noted that it took about five years for Virgin Mobile in the UK to achieve stability. He therefore projected that Nigeria’s MVNO ecosystem could take between five and seven years to fully mature, urging stakeholders to be practical and leverage collaboration to achieve shared objectives as the market evolves.
The ipNX Director underscored the urgent need for localised solutions and government-backed policies that protect indigenous operators. He emphasised that without such safeguards, Nigeria risks losing out on long-term value creation. Mr. Teniola emphasized the need to avoid simply copying Western MVNO models, noting that Nigeria’s market realities are very different. He highlighted that the opportunities lie in other segments beyond urban smartphone users. Without tailoring business models to reflect these conditions, he warned, such ventures are unlikely to succeed.
Other speakers at the forum echoed similar sentiments, noting that MVNOs must serve unique niche markets that the traditional telcos or Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have not been able to unlock. Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) represented by Mr Usman Mahman, Director, Licensing & Authorisation, stated that “since MVNOs are expected to ride on the infrastructure of existing MNOs, it would be counterintuitive to compete in the same space with them.” He therefore urged MVNOs to offer “value propositions that are attractive in terms of commercial agreements with MNOs while satisfying a new crop of customers.”
Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), aligned with Olusola’s concerns, emphasizing that market differentiation is essential for MVNO sustainability. He noted that “the MNOs already provide enterprise services, internet, and fintech solutions, MVNOs must identify underserved gaps and build their niche around them.”
The Telecoms Sector Sustainability Forum, now in its sixth edition, continues to serve as a vital platform for advancing discourse on the future of Nigeria’s telecom industry. This year’s conversations further emphasised that the sustainability of Nigeria’s digital economy depends on innovative business models, and the spotlight was turned on the MVNO value chain and the promise it holds for the Nigeria telecoms landscape.
ipNX reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for policies that safeguard Nigeria’s telecom ecosystem and create an enabling environment for local innovation, indigenous capacity development, and sustainable investment.
