Mafab Communications’ reported move to transfer its key 5G spectrum holdings to MTN Nigeria could mark a major shift in the structure of Nigeria’s emerging 5G market, nearly five years after the company emerged as one of the country’s pioneer 5G spectrum holders. The proposed transaction involves Mafab’s 100MHz block in the 3.5GHz band and its 2×20MHz holding in the 2.1GHz band, with the deal still subject to approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Mafab and MTN had each paid $273.6 million for 100MHz blocks in the 3.5GHz band after winning Nigeria’s landmark 5G spectrum auction in December 2021. While MTN subsequently launched commercial 5G services in 2022 and expanded its network, Mafab’s rollout was slower, with the company eventually launching its Mcom 5G service in January 2023. The reported transfer therefore represents a significant change from the original expectation that Mafab would provide stronger competition to established operators in Nigeria’s next generation mobile market.
For MTN, the additional spectrum could provide greater network capacity at a time when Nigerians are consuming increasing volumes of mobile data. The 3.5GHz band is particularly important for high capacity 5G services, while additional spectrum in the 2.1GHz band could support broader mobile network capacity. Industry reports indicate that 5G accounted for only 4.74 per cent of Nigeria’s mobile connections in July 2026, compared with 54.31 per cent for 4G, showing that the technology still has considerable room for expansion.
The proposed transfer, however, places the NCC at the centre of an important regulatory decision. The regulator will have to assess the transaction, including the spectrum concentration and terms of the proposed transfer, before any deal can be completed. If approved, the transaction could strengthen MTN’s ability to expand 5G capacity, while also reducing the number of independent operators holding significant 5G spectrum. For Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, the development highlights a central challenge of digital infrastructure investment: acquiring spectrum is only the beginning, while turning it into reliable and widely available connectivity requires substantial investment in networks, fibre, power and other infrastructure.