Omo, big wahala don happen for telecom industry as MTN Group don finally agree to acquire IHS Towers for whooping $6.2 billion! Na serious money wey fit change the whole game for Africa digital infrastructure.
This big deal go make MTN holds full control of one of the biggest tower companies wey dey operate for Africa, and e go also end IHS listing for New York Stock Exchange. Na one major shift for how ownership dey work for the continent as telecom companies dey try return to the ownership of their infrastructure.
After weeks of sharp negotiations, dem don agree say each IHS shareholder go collect $8.50 per share. E go mean say shareholders go fit smile wella with about 36% increase from di company’s average price as of early February 2026. Na even 239% increase since dem announced strategic review back in March 2024! Omo, dem don really package am well for shareholders.
IHS board don approve di transaction well-well and dem recommend am to all shareholders. MTN already get about 24% of IHS shares, plus long-term investor Wendel don also gree back di deal, so over 40% of shareholders don already throw their weight behind di matter.
As everything wan finalize, IHS go turn fully owned by MTN, and dem go no dey trade publicly again. Ralph Mupita, di CEO of MTN, talk say dis acquisition go strong dem position for market, especially as technology dey grow fast and naija and Africa dey need more digital infrastructure to boost economy.
IHS Towers dey manage more than 37,000 towers for seven countries across Africa, dem enter obodo like Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, and many more. Sam Darwish, di CEO of IHS, also talk say dis agreement na defining moment for the company after dem don spend 25 years growing from just one tower to thousands across eleven countries. Im thank all di people wey don support dem.
On top how dem go fund di acquisition, dem go use mix of MTN wey dey involved before, $1.1 billion cash wey MTN go provide, another $1.1 billion from IHS own resources, and dem go rollover some IHS debt. Plus dem go also maintain $355 million cash balance at closing. But dem still need finish selling of dem Latin American operations to clear navigator of di deal.
Dis acquisition go definitely reshape di telecom sector for Africa, kasi it dey show how companies dey rethink di value of infrastructure ownership amidst all di rising demands for data and commercial connectivity. If dis deal land, e fit create di largest tower company under MTN, and dis na something wey everybody dey eye as dem dey look for better service for customers.
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