MTN Nigeria has launched its new cloud service as the telecoms giant moves to capture a share of the country’s fast-growing cloud market, estimated between $600 million and $850 million in annual spending by local businesses.
The new cloud platform, which will run on infrastructure from MTN’s $100 million data centre, is positioned to compete with dominant global providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Nigeria, said local firms spent up to $850 million on cloud services in 2024 alone.
Independent data from Statista indicates revenue from Nigeria’s public cloud market is projected to reach $1.63 billion in 2025, with Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) expected to account for more than $500 million of that total.
MTN’s cloud offering, which costs the operator $20 million to deploy, will be priced in naira and targets startup founders, banks, government agencies and other enterprises seeking locally hosted solutions.
At launch, services will be offered at a 15 to 20 percent discount to encourage adoption.
Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the investment aligns with the company’s strategy to expand its role in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and boost local content storage.
“With the data centre launch, MTN is at the forefront of Nigeria’s digital space and ready to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs across the country as we expand the capacity of the data centre facility,” Toriola said.
Data centres are central to the secure storage and processing of information, ensuring resilience for digital platforms while reducing dependence on offshore hosting. MTN said the new facility will enhance Nigeria’s data sovereignty by keeping critical local data within national borders and improving protection against exposure and cyber threats.
The company expects that local hosting will also help reduce latency for users of global platforms such as Meta and Google that rely on local caching to improve service delivery.
Industry analysts say the entry of a major local player could introduce more competitive pricing and broaden access for Nigerian firms that still face foreign exchange hurdles when paying for international cloud services.
MTN’s move reflects wider market trends as more African enterprises migrate operations to the cloud. The telecoms operator has positioned its offering to tap rising demand for secure, scalable computing solutions that comply with national data protection requirements.
With the new cloud business, MTN Nigeria aims to diversify beyond traditional voice and data services while providing critical digital infrastructure for businesses navigating digital transformation.
