By Peace Udugba -The daily torch media
As Nigeria continues to navigate a challenging macroeconomic landscape marked by high inflation and recent tariff adjustments, corporate profitability remains under intense public scrutiny.
MTN Nigeria has announced its audited full-year 2025 results, reporting a 55.1 per cent increase in service revenue to ₦5.2 trillion and a 108.9 per cent rise in EBITDA to ₦2.7 trillion. However, beyond the impressive headline figures, the company says the real story lies in how those earnings are being deployed to sustain and expand Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
Profit as Fuel for Network Survival
MTN explained that strong profitability is directly tied to its ability to fund the heavy Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) required to maintain and expand its network, especially amid 2025’s inflationary pressures.
The company generated ₦1.2 trillion in cash flow during the year, a 215.5 per cent increase, which it described as critical to preventing network strain and supporting its 2026 Network Investment Roadmap. With its subscriber base growing by 7.9 per cent to 87.3 million users, demand on network infrastructure has intensified significantly.
To address this, MTN is executing a ₦1.0 trillion CAPEX rollout aimed at strengthening network resilience, improving service quality, and expanding coverage nationwide.
Chief Executive Officer, Karl Olutokun Toriola, described 2025 as a turning point for the business, noting that disciplined capital allocation enabled the accelerated infrastructure investments necessary to sustain growth and enhance customer experience.
According to the company, without sufficient profitability, funding such large-scale investments would be mathematically impossible, particularly in a high-cost operating environment.
Driving Broader Economic Growth
Beyond infrastructure expansion, MTN emphasised that its reinvestment cycle contributes significantly to the broader non-oil economy. The ₦1.0 trillion CAPEX injection flows into vendor contracts, infrastructure procurement, and taxes, supporting economic activity and government revenues.
The company added that its return to profitability also strengthens investor confidence on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), where it remains one of the most valuable listed companies. The improved performance enables the resumption of dividend payments, delivering consistent returns to millions of retail investors and pension funds.
Grassroots and Social Impact
Despite operating in a volatile macroeconomic environment, MTN said its social investment commitments remain intact. Over the past 21 years, the MTN Foundation has invested more than ₦32.3 billion in social impact initiatives.
In 2025 alone, the Foundation funded critical medication support across 49 Primary Healthcare Centres and equipped over 62,000 young Nigerians with digital skills, reinforcing its role in human capital development.
A Stability Signal
MTN views its ability to meet heavy CAPEX demands while returning to profitability as a broader signal of economic resilience. The company noted that disciplined financial management, combined with supportive policy reforms, has helped create a more sustainable operating environment.
Reiterating its long-term focus, MTN stated that its priority remains keeping millions of Nigerians connected, strengthening the country’s digital backbone, and delivering sustainable value to shareholders.
