MTN Gains Full Control of IHS Towers in South Africa Under New Regulations

The acquisition moves forward after regulators raised competition concerns about MTN owning infrastructure used by rivals. The Competition Commission approved the $2.2 billion deal on September 30th, requiring fair access to IHS towers for all operators.

Towers are shared assets vital for mobile networks, and regulators worried that MTN’s ownership could disadvantage competitors. The approval includes conditions ensuring non-discriminatory terms, protecting existing customers, and preventing preferential treatment for MTN South Africa.

The deal will give MTN 100% control of IHS Towers, which operates nearly 29,000 sites across five key African markets. This strengthens MTN’s digital infrastructure platform and supports the rollout of technologies like 5G.

“The Commission found that the proposed transaction raises competition and public interest concerns,” said a statement from the regulator. The conditions aim to prevent anticompetitive practices while allowing MTN to realize synergies from owning this critical infrastructure asset.

The acquisition has already received approvals in principle from regulators in Nigeria, Zambia, and other markets, signaling broad support for consolidation in Africa’s telecom sector.