Nigeria’s pioneering telecoms operator, ntel (formerly NITEL), is eyeing a return from dormancy, with a preliminary target of first quarter of 2026.
According to a report from a tech platform, Technology Times, the return of the telco is underpinned by a strategic N30 billion injection from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Once the dominant pre-GSM era provider with both wireline and mobile services via NITEL and Mtel, the operator fell into prolonged dormancy following the privatization of the Nigerian telecommunications sector.
After NatCom Development & Investment Limited acquired the business for $252.25 million in 2015, ntel struggled to regain traction. Now, AMCON is spearheading a revival, aiming to reintroduce ntel as an asset-light, infrastructure-centric competitor in Nigeria’s telecoms space.
According to the publication, a cornerstone of the revival plan is the appointment of Mr Soji Maurice-Diya, formerly CEO of American Tower Nigeria, to lead the company. He will succeed Mr Adrian Wood, a former chief executive of MTN Nigeria.
At the helm with extensive leadership experience across sectors such as telecom infrastructure (ATC), oil (ExxonMobil), tech (IBM), consulting (EY), and entrepreneurship (as co-founder of Hash App), Mr Maurice-Diya is expected to drive the execution of this turnaround plan.
AMCON’s intervention represents both a financial stabilization effort and a bid to rescue strategic national telecom assets, in line with targets set by President Bola Tinubu.
The telco holds a Unified Access Service licence from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). It is reportedly exploring a cost-efficient Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) model, potentially piggybacking on infrastructure from incumbent operators.
This choice arises from a sobering analysis: fully competing with Nigeria’s top mobile network operators (MTN, Airtel, Glo, and T2/9mobile), which collectively manage over 171 million lines. The telco would require an estimated N7.68 trillion ($5 billion) in capital. Instead, the MVNO approach allows ntel to focus on branding, customer experience, and differentiated services, particularly to youth, fintech, and rural prepaid segments without owning costly infrastructure, the publication analysed.
Despite previous setbacks, ntel retains key assets including spectrum holdings, fibre-optic infrastructure inherited from NITEL, and landing rights on international submarine cables. These which support a broadband-first strategy to help bridge Nigeria’s digital divide.