Airtel Nigeria has renewed its 900MHz spectrum licence for another 10 years. The deal is worth ₦50.5 billion, according to parent company Airtel Africa.
The company confirmed this in its Q2 2026 financial statement, released on Thursday. It said the Nigerian Communications Commission communicated the renewal terms on April 15, 2026. This extends Airtel’s hold on one of its most valuable spectrum assets in the country.
The renewal fee is set at $37 million. Airtel will pay this in naira, at ₦50.5 billion, using an exchange rate of ₦1,365 to the dollar. Paying in local currency helps cushion the company against naira volatility. It also eases pressure on its dollar reserves, at a time when many Nigerian businesses are still adjusting to a tighter foreign exchange environment.
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The new licence term will not start right away. Airtel’s current 900MHz licence was signed in February 2021. It runs until November 30, 2031. So the new agreement kicks in the next day, running from December 1, 2031, to November 30, 2041.
The 900MHz band is important because of its reach. It travels farther than higher frequency bands. It also penetrates walls and buildings more effectively. This makes it central to expanding coverage into underserved and rural areas. Nigeria’s digital inclusion drive remains a national priority. So holding on to this spectrum keeps Airtel well placed to grow its network for the next decade.
Locking in the renewal now, five years ahead of expiry, also signals confidence in the Nigerian market. It guarantees network continuity for subscribers. It also removes any risk of disruption that could come from a last minute renewal process.
The news lands alongside a strong quarter for Airtel Nigeria. The company reported total revenue of ₦689.87 billion for Q2 2026. That is a 50.4 percent year on year jump from ₦459 billion a year earlier. Nigeria now makes up 27.03 percent of Airtel Africa’s total revenue across its 14 African markets. This keeps Nigeria as the group’s top performing market on the continent.
Smartphone penetration in Nigeria also grew. It rose 4.6 percent to reach 56.1 percent. Average smartphone data usage per customer climbed too, reaching 14.9 gigabytes a month, up from 11.8GB the year before.
Airtel Africa is also preparing to list its mobile money arm, Airtel Money, on the London Stock Exchange later this year. The company shifted its preferred listing venue away from the Middle East due to political tensions in the region. Airtel Money processed $61.4 billion in transactions during the quarter. Total revenue for the unit hit $404 million, a 38.9 percent increase from the same period last year.
With the spectrum renewal secured, Airtel Nigeria has locked in the certainty it needs. This lets the company keep investing in voice and data infrastructure across Africa’s largest telecom market.
