Operators

Nigeria’s first MVNO arrives – after a long wait

Nigeria’s first MVNO arrives – after a long wait

It may come as a surprise to some readers to hear that, more than three years after the telecommunications regulator laid the groundwork for MVNOs to come to market, only this week is Nigeria preparing to welcome its first virtual mobile operator (MVNO).

Intended to launch today – 30 October – Vitel Wireless will become the fifth national operator in the largest telecommunications market in Africa.

The company recently obtained the 0712 series of numbers from regulator the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), an identifier that confirms its status as an operator, although, like all MVNOs, it does not have its own infrastructure network.

Instead it purchases network capacity from existing operators to offer telephony and internet services under its own brand; the Vitel service operates under the brand name Blue.

The Vitel website says it is a GSM Second Level operator in Nigeria licensed by NCC to provide nationwide every aspect of network operators services, leveraging the cell towers of MTN. 

In addition, as we reported in May, Vitel claims to have achieved full interconnection with all major mobile network operators, allowing its subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and T2 (formerly 9mobile).

In Nigeria more than 220 million mobile subscribers share a market dominated by four operators. Thus, the arrival of an MVNO is significant. With no network to maintain, Vitel can focus on customer experience, price innovation and flexibility in offers. But whether this actually means more competition, lower costs and better quality of service, not to mention more virtual operators in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, remains to be seen,

Nigeria’s first MVNO has certainly been a long time coming. In March 2022 we reported that the NCC, had published what it called a License Framework For the Establishment Of Mobile Virtual Network Operators in Nigeria. Only now, it seems, are we seeing an actual service launch.



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