India’s Telecom Giant Indus Towers to Enter Nigeria, Shake Up African Market
- Indian Telecom infrastructure India’s telecom giant plans major entry into Nigeria’s telecom space, alongside two other African markets
- The company plans to leverage its relationship with Airtel Africa to expand into the continent
- Indus Towers Limited is reportedly India’s second-largest telecom infrastructure provider, with over 251,773 towers across 22 telecom circles
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
India’s second-largest telecom infrastructure company, Indus Towers Limited, will enter Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia in a strategic move to diversify revenue, scale and create long-term value.
According to reports, Indus Towers will leverage its strong financial muscle and anchor relationship with Bharti Airtel to establish a robust and competitive presence on the continent.
Source: UGC
Why is Indus planning Africa entry?
The company’s statement said that as part of its broader growth plan, it would continue to evaluate expansion opportunities in other African markets where Airtel has presence.
Bharti Airtel’s Africa arm, Airtel Africa, operates mobile and data services in 15 African countries.
Indus Towers will leverage Airtel’s channels built by India’s second-largest carrier on the continent to expand into more markets.
The company’s managing director and chief executive, Prashur Sah, disclosed that the international expansion is strategic and part of the firm's vision for sustainable growth.
Indus Towers’ robust history
“By leveraging our expertise in delivering innovative and cost-effective solutions, we are well-positioned to differentiate ourselves in Africa’s fast-growing telecom market and emerge as the preferred tower company,” he said.
The telecom infrastructure provider’s scrip closed over three per cent down at Rs 329.3 after the announcement on Tuesday, August 2, 2025.
Data shows that Indus has over 251,773 towers across 22 telecom circles, and provides passive telecom infrastructure, deploying, owning and managing tower sites and communication structures required for wireless connectivity.
Reports say that Indus is the second-largest carrier after Data Infrastructure Trust (DIT), a management consortium that acquired India’s business last year, emerging as the second-largest tower provider in the country.
Indus’ major clients include India’s largest mobile operators, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, government providers, BSNL and MTNL.
Indus Towers' diversification plan and robust earnings
The company operates long-term site leases with owners and separate maintenance contracts with telcos, ensuring a steady income base and operational resilience.
It recently announced its entry into the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure segment, launching pilot charging stations in strategic places.
According to a report by Business Standard, Indus Towers reported robust Q1 2025 results, with total income rising 10.5% per year and consolidated revenues.
Its profit after tax declined 9.8% yearly, though operational performance remained solid, with earnings rising in the period under review.
Is Nigeria ready for another competition?
It added that its overseas expansion aligns with the Indian government’s vision of encouraging Indian businesses to expand globally and emerge as multinational concerns.
Indus Towers' planned entry into Nigeria is strategic, as the country has become a fertile ground for telecom growth.
Nigeria’s leading telecom operators, especially MTN Nigeria, have reported robust earnings driven by data services
Telecom services explode in Nigeria
Experts have said that the earnings were caused by the recent tariff hikes by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Nigeria has also seen an explosion in the number of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), kick-starting operations in the country.
Source: UGC
The country’s growing youth population and its robust telecom policy are drivers for telecom investment.
New telecom operator launches in Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that Vitel Wireless, one of Nigeria’s leading Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), officially launched its services nationwide after completing network integration with MTN Nigeria.
This partnership marks a major milestone in expanding affordable and accessible telecom services for Nigerians.
With this move, Vitel Wireless becomes the first MVNO in the country to fully integrate with a major Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and begin operations across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Source: Legit.ng
