Airtel Nigeria, the countrys second-largest mobile network operator, has secured three telecom licences from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as it looks to unlock new revenue streams.
The licences include an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, a National Long Distance license, and a Sales and Installation Major license. All three licences were awarded to Airtel Nigeria Telesonic Limited, a subsidiary of Airtel.
While Airtel Nigeria could have operated in the ISP market using its Unified Access Service Licence (UASL), securing a standalone ISP license appears to be a strategic move to bolster its dwindling revenue in the Nigerian marketAirtel Nigeria reported a $13 million loss in H1 2024.
The National Long Distance license, valid for 20 years, will allow Airtel Africa to provide telecommunication service over a long distance network - MTN already got into the business through its subsidiary Bayobab. The Sales and Installation license, valid for five years, permits the subsidiary to sell, install, and maintain telecommunications infrastructure.
Although Airtel Nigeria Telesonic Limited was incorporated on August 26, 2026, and launched on February 13, 2024, it has not officially begun operations. One person familiar with the matter said internal processes, including mapping the size of the investment and the logistics needed, must be completed before operations begin.
