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Telecom

9mobile: Airtel Pulls Out of Bid as Glo, Helios Fail to Name Price

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Airtel Nigeria did not submit a final bid for 9mobile despite being on the shortlist of five, according to TheCable.

 

Also, although Globacom and Helios Investment Partners LLP submitted bids, they did not make any financial offer for the troubled telco.

 

TheCable reported that Teleology Holdings Limited submitted a bid in excess of $500 million while Smile Telecoms Holdings quoted close to $300 million.

 

Effectively, only two companies made financial offers by the January 16 deadline.

 

Airtel’s U-turn came as a surprise to industry experts who had expected the company to push all the way through in order to become the largest operator in the country.

 

It would automatically have grown from being number three to number one by increasing its numbers to 52 million for voice and 33.5 million for internet if it emerged the preferred bidder.

 

‘HIDDEN THINGS’

TheCable learnt that Airtel decided to pull out because “many things are not too plain with the entire process”.

 

“Airtel believes too many things are hidden about the health of 9mobile, and that it is too risky for anyone to buy the company. Things became compounded with the court case by Spectrum Wireless. Remember  the Strive Masiyiwa case over the ownership of Econet which hurt the company for a long time,” an insider in the deal told TheCable.

 

Spectrum Wireless, a shareholder of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service (EMTS) — which owns the 9mobile licence — went to court against United Capital Trustees Limited — representatives of the debtors — in order to stop the constitution of an interim board for 9mobile after the take-over in July 2017.

 

Although it lost the case then, the federal high court later nullified the ex parte order, and United Securities has now gone on appeal.

 

Airtel, which started out as Econet Wireless in 2001, went through a litany of boardroom crises as a result of litigation by Masiyiwa.

 

DEBT OVERHANG

 

In July 2017, 9mobile, then known as Etisalat Nigeria, was taken over by banks following a N541 billion debt overhang.

 

Mubadala Group, the major investor from the United Arab Emirates, pulled out of Nigeria’s fourth largest mobile operator as a result of the debt owed to a consortium of 13 banks.

 

The telco was then put on sale, with Barclays Africa acting as transaction advisers.

 

The shortlisted companies are: Teleology Holdings Limited, promoted by Adrian Wood, the pioneer CEO of MTN Nigeria; Smile Telecoms Holdings, a telco operating in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo DR and South Africa; and Helios Investment Partners LLP, an investment company.

 

Others are Bharti Airtel, an Indian telco that owns Airtel Nigeria, and Globacom, the Nigerian company owned by Mike Adenuga Jnr.

 

The telecom regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is expected to play a key role in the final decision of the interim board.


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Telecom

Telcos Plan Zero Tariff in Some Regions with Low Opex

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Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) is planning to encourage geo-political regions that grants zero charges for ‘Right of Way’ approvals as well not implementing arbitrary charges on telecommunications base stations in their regions with zero tariff.

Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON disclosed this to Nigeria CommunincationsWeek against the backdrop of incessant closure of base stations in some states.

He said that operators believe that the way out of this arbitrary charges and high cost of RoW approvals is regional tariffs.

“Operators are advocating for a regional tariff which means that geographical regions of Nigeria where cost of doing business for telecommunications operators is extremely high will attract high tariff compared to regions where there is low operating cost.

“Our advocacy of regional tariff is not based on a particular state but on regions. As at today there are regions where we have zero cost of “Right of Way” and low cost of doing business. Tariffs should reflect on operating environment. This means that national rate plan should consider high and low cost of doing business.

“If this is implemented, in a long run we could witness some regions having zero tariff because operational cost in such regions are friendly to operators,” he said.

It would be recalled that Kogi State recently shut down some operators’ base stations on account of local levies which raises the call for discriminatory tariff among geographical locations.

 


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Fines: Meta Threatens to Shut Down Facebook, Instagram in Nigeria

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Meta may shut down its Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in protest against the substantial fines imposed by multiple government agencies.

Fines: Meta Threatens to Shut Down Facebook, Instagram in Nigeria

The tech giant has been ordered to pay nearly $300 million in fines in Africa’s most populous nation, following regulatory demands which Meta described as “unrealistic.”

In July 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), imposed a $220 million fine on Meta for allegedly discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers.

The commission stated that Meta had failed to engage a Data Protection Compliance Organisation and had not submitted a Nigeria Data Protection Regulation audit report for two consecutive years.

Similarly, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), demanded $37.5 million over unapproved advertising, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), announced a $32.8 million fine for an alleged data privacy breach.

Meta challenged the decisions at the Federal High Court in Abuja but was unsuccessful, as the court upheld the fines in a ruling delivered last week.

The court directed the company to comply with payment by the end of June, but Meta has indicated it may not do so, according to the BBC.

“The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures,” the company stated in court documents.

Responding to the NDPC’s assertion that Meta’s data processing could expose Nigerian users to health and financial risks, the company said the agency had failed to “properly interpret the laws guiding data privacy.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Premier League Fever Builds as MTN Nigeria Stages Dual-City Watch Parties This Weekend

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As the Premier League season enters its final stretch, MTN Nigeria is set to stage simultaneous watch parties in Abuja and Uyo on Sunday, May 4, giving football fans a shared space to experience the highs and lows of matchday.

The events, scheduled for Farm City in Wuse and Pyramid Lounge & Grill in Uyo, are expected to attract large turnouts as MTN continues to deepen its connection with football audiences nationwide.

The line-up for the day includes four Premier League fixtures, culminating in a marquee showdown between Chelsea and Liverpool. Earlier games such as Brentford vs Manchester United, Brighton vs Newcastle, and West Ham vs Tottenham will round out a packed viewing schedule. With top four ambitions, title races, and European dreams on the line, the fixtures promise high-stakes drama and entertainment.

MTN’s EPL watch parties have grown into a recurring highlight for fans who want more than just a screen, they want atmosphere. This weekend’s events will feature expansive screen setups, branded fan zones, and side attractions including live trivia and merchandise giveaways.

For MTN, the activations represent an opportunity to tap into the communal spirit of football, a sport that unites Nigerians across regions and loyalties. The brand’s involvement in football has steadily evolved from sponsorship to full-scale experiences, allowing it to build affinity with youth audiences and sports lovers alike.

In recent years, MTN has emerged as a key driver of fan engagement through its partnership with SuperSport and broader investment in Nigeria’s football ecosystem. These dual-city events reflect that strategy in motion, bringing the Premier League closer to the streets and ensuring fans are not just spectators, but participants in the global game.

With anticipation running high and bragging rights on the line, Sunday’s watch parties are shaping up to be a celebration of sport, identity, and the power of community on and off the pitch.


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