MTN Paid Over ₦600bn in Taxes, Invested ₦621bn in Network Expansion in H1 2026

By Francisca Anuforo

MTN Nigeria says its first-half 2026 performance goes beyond strong revenue growth, highlighting the company’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy through tax payments, infrastructure investment and shareholder value creation.

The telecommunications giant disclosed that it paid more than ₦600 billion in taxes, customs duties, regulatory levies and other statutory obligations during the first half of the year, while investing approximately ₦621 billion in capital expenditure to expand network capacity and improve service quality nationwide.

Speaking during a mid-year media engagement in Lagos, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Financial Officer, Modupe Kadri, said the company’s earnings benefit multiple stakeholders long before profits are distributed to shareholders.

“For every one naira of revenue, only about 24 kobo becomes profit. Government receives a substantial share through taxes and levies, operating costs take another significant portion, while everyone within our ecosystem benefits from the value we create,” Kadri said.

MTN recently reported nearly ₦3 trillion in revenue for the first six months of 2026, driven primarily by continued growth in data consumption. However, the company stressed that maintaining one of Nigeria’s largest telecommunications networks requires sustained investment in infrastructure, energy and spectrum.

According to Kadri, the ₦621 billion capital expenditure was deployed to strengthen network infrastructure, increase capacity and enhance customer experience as demand for digital services continues to rise.

He noted that MTN also remitted about ₦622 billion in corporate income tax, VAT, customs duties, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) levies and other statutory payments, reinforcing the telecom sector’s role as a major contributor to government revenue.

Kadri explained that dividend payments are only one aspect of MTN’s economic contribution.

“Even when we pay dividends, the government still earns withholding tax, while we continue committing significant capital to expanding and modernising our network because quality service requires continuous investment,” he said.

The company said increasing adoption of video streaming, digital banking, e-learning, remote work, social media and other online services has continued to drive rapid growth in data traffic, making network expansion a strategic priority.

MTN currently operates more than 62,000 network sites and has deployed about 43,000 kilometres of fibre infrastructure across Nigeria. The operator is also investing in fibre broadband, 5G expansion and digital financial services to support the country’s growing digital economy.

Industry analysts note that telecommunications remains one of Nigeria’s most important economic sectors, enabling financial inclusion, digital commerce, healthcare, education and government services while contributing significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Beyond its commercial operations, MTN said it continues to support national development through the MTN Foundation, which receives one per cent of the company’s annual profit after tax to fund education, healthcare and economic empowerment initiatives.

The company’s latest disclosures underscore the capital-intensive nature of Nigeria’s telecom industry, where billions of naira are invested annually to expand connectivity, improve service quality and meet the growing demand for reliable digital infrastructure.