MTN Group has entered advanced talks to acquire IHS Towers, a move that would see the telecom giant regain direct control of a significant portion of its tower infrastructure across Africa.

The potential acquisition, valued at approximately $2.7 billion, comes as the African telecom infrastructure market is projected to reach $4 billion this year. Industry analysts view the talks as part of a broader trend toward infrastructure consolidation and cost optimisation among major mobile network operators.

Strategic Control of Network Assets

MTN previously spun off much of its tower infrastructure as part of efforts to reduce capital expenditure and focus on core services. Reacquiring tower assets would allow the group to exert greater control over network performance, rollout timelines, and long-term operational costs.

Executives familiar with the discussions indicate that the talks remain ongoing, with no final agreement yet announced.

Market Implications

The African telecom infrastructure sector has attracted growing interest from investors due to rising data demand, 5G expansion plans, and increased mobile penetration. A successful MTN–IHS transaction could reshape competitive dynamics and signal renewed vertical integration across the continent’s telecom industry.

Observers note that any deal would likely face regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions, given the scale of operations involved.