LAGOS, NIGERIA – July 8, 2025 – In a move set to redefine Nigeria’s digital landscape, telecommunications leader MTN, in a strategic partnership with global tech giant Huawei, has officially launched the nation’s first 400G–800G Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON). This isn’t just a routine upgrade; it’s the installation of a new digital backbone for West Africa’s largest economy, and the latest chapter in MTN’s storied history in the country.
For years, businesses and consumers, particularly in densely populated urban centers like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, have grappled with the twin challenges of bandwidth demand and network stability. Today’s announcement directly addresses that bottleneck. This new optical network acts as a multi-lane superhighway for data, dramatically increasing the capacity and intelligence of MTN’s core network.
- 2001: MTN wins its digital mobile license in Nigeria’s first-ever GSM auction, making the first commercial call on the network on May 16.
- 2002: Becomes the first operator in Africa to offer General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), a foundational mobile data service.
- 2003: Launches the MTN VillagePhone in partnership with the Grameen Foundation, empowering rural entrepreneurship.
- 2005: Becomes one of the first operators in Africa to launch 3G services.
- 2012: Is the biggest investor in the West Africa Cable System (WACS), significantly boosting the nation’s broadband capacity.
- 2016: A landmark year which saw the company launch 4G services and celebrate 10 years of its “21 Days of Y’ello Care” employee volunteer program.
- 2019: MTN Nigeria lists on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, giving millions of Nigerians the opportunity to own a piece of the company.
- 2021: Celebrates 20 years of operation, having connected over 68 million Nigerians and committed to a major N640 billion network expansion.
- 2022: Officially launches its 5G network, starting in Lagos and Abuja.
- 2025: Launches the continent’s most advanced 400G-800G ASON optical network with Huawei.
What This Means for Business
The implications for Nigeria’s burgeoning tech and business ecosystem are profound. The country’s vibrant fintech sector, e-commerce platforms, and content streaming services are incredibly data-hungry. The new 800G network provides the robust infrastructure needed to support their growth, reducing latency and enabling them to deliver faster, more reliable services to their customers.
For corporations, this translates to more efficient cloud computing, seamless data transfers, and the ability to confidently deploy next-generation technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI-driven analytics. The “Automatically Switched” component of the ASON technology is also critical; it provides intelligent self-healing capabilities, meaning the network can automatically reroute data traffic in case of a fiber cut or disruption, ensuring unparalleled reliability for mission-critical business operations.
