IHS Focuses on African Assets as MTN Deal Nears Completion

IHS Towers has finalized the sale of its Latin American operations to Macquarie Asset Management, marking a strategic retreat from the region and streamlining the company ahead of its planned acquisition by MTN Group. The transaction, which concluded August 7, 2026, encompasses IHS Brazil and IHS Colombia—approximately 9,000 tower sites in total.

The divestment aligns with MTN’s intention to acquire only IHS’s African assets as part of the deal, announced earlier this year. With this sale complete, the proposed acquisition now centers exclusively on IHS’s extensive portfolio across Nigeria, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Zambia—where the company manages over 28,000 towers.

The move follows shareholder approval of the merger on August 5, fulfilling a key condition for the transaction to proceed. JPMorgan served as advisor to IHS on this strategic divestment.

Implications for African Telecom Infrastructure

This development signifies a renewed focus on emerging African markets for IHS Towers while strengthening MTN’s position in the continent’s digital infrastructure landscape. The acquisition, once finalized, will provide MTN with full ownership of IHS’s remaining African tower business—a critical asset for expanding mobile connectivity across the region.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals, which are currently being processed.