ntel abandons telco playbook to chase AI, infrastructure growth

After years of struggling to gain ground in Nigeria’s fiercely competitive telecommunications market, ntel is abandoning the traditional telecom operator model that defined its early years and repositioning itself as a broader digital infrastructure company, betting that artificial intelligence, communications infrastructure and real estate will drive its next phase of growth.

The company on Tuesday unveiled what it called “The Next Frontier”, a sweeping transformation strategy that shifts its focus beyond selling voice and data services to building digital infrastructure, deploying AI-powered services, expanding tower assets and unlocking value from its extensive real estate portfolio, a strategy increasingly being adopted by telecom operators globally as traditional connectivity revenues come under pressure.

The move signals a significant change in business direction for the operator, which emerged from the remnants of the defunct NITEL. Rather than competing solely for mobile subscribers against larger rivals such as MTN, Airtel and Globacom, ntel wants to position itself as an enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.

“We are no longer positioning ourselves solely as a telecommunications provider but as a broader digital infrastructure business,” said Yvonne Alozie, head of business operations at NatCom Development and Investment Limited, which trades as ntel.

The newly relaunched ntel business is structured around three key pillars:

Infrastructure Solutions: Monetizing over 700 real estate properties, data centers, and thousands of kilometers of metro/interstate fibre optic cables.

AirFibre: A newly introduced fixed wireless connectivity solution for homes and enterprises.

WakaGo: A global travel eSIM that allows users to access data in 194 countries at the click of a button.

She said the transformation is built around three strategic businesses: communications, infrastructure and real estate, designed to create an integrated ecosystem connecting people, businesses and technology.

“This is much more than a relaunch. It is a bold new beginning built around strategic partnerships, renewed ambition and the determination to move beyond traditional telecommunications into a broader future of connectivity,” she said.

Read also: Telecom Sector targets cost-based rates after N3.99 tariff survives eight-year inflation shock

Following a global telecom shift

The strategy reflects a wider trend across the global telecommunications industry, where operators are increasingly investing in infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cloud services, data centres and digital platforms as traditional voice and SMS revenues continue to decline.

With Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp, Zoom and Netflix reshaping consumer behaviour, telecom companies are under pressure to find new revenue sources beyond connectivity.

ntel believes digital infrastructure offers that opportunity.

The company’s new strategy is anchored on what it calls the BET Agenda: Beam, Eden and Titan.

Beam will focus on digital communications and technology services. Titan will develop telecommunications infrastructure, including towers and connectivity assets. Eden will manage and commercialise the company’s sizeable real estate portfolio.

The three businesses are expected to generate multiple revenue streams beyond conventional telecom services.

AI becomes central to growth strategy

Artificial intelligence sits at the heart of ntel’s long-term ambitions.

Speaking at the launch, Ayodeji Joshua Richards, a board member of NatCom Development and Investment Limited, said the company intends to become an early adopter of AI and data analytics to develop personalised services and improve customer experience.

He said the operator is already looking beyond today’s 5G rollout and preparing for future 6G technologies, which are expected to deliver significantly faster speeds, lower latency and support more immersive digital applications.

“The future belongs to companies that can adapt quickly,” Richards said.

He added that continuous investment in research and development would drive innovation while strong corporate governance and regulatory compliance would remain central to the company’s strategy.

Infrastructure over subscribers

One of the clearest messages from the event was that ntel no longer sees subscriber numbers as the sole measure of success.

Instead, executives repeatedly stressed infrastructure ownership, partnerships and long-term investments.

Industry experts on a panel discussion argued that future telecom winners would be those building resilient infrastructure rather than simply expanding mobile networks.

Neerajj Gupta, chief revenue officer of FuelBuddy, said infrastructure, not launch events, will determine whether companies survive.

“What impressed me most is that the leadership team is building for Year Ten, not for today’s launch ceremony,” he said.

FuelBuddy is partnering with ntel to deploy hybrid energy systems powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) at telecom sites, replacing diesel-powered operations with cleaner and cheaper alternatives.

According to Gupta, energy accounts for nearly half of operating costs at off-grid telecom towers, making cleaner energy a strategic business decision rather than simply an environmental initiative.

The deployment will also incorporate Internet of Things (IoT), telemetry and telematics systems to monitor fuel consumption and reduce theft and operational losses.

Competing by solving customer problems

While acknowledging that ntel is returning to an already crowded market, panelists argued that being a late entrant could become an advantage rather than a weakness.

Unyime Tommy, founder and managing partner of Assuredly, said ntel has the opportunity to study the shortcomings of existing operators instead of repeating them.

“You cannot relaunch using yesterday’s ideas. The market has changed, customers have changed and execution must change as well,” she said.

According to her, the operator should focus on resolving long-standing customer frustrations, particularly poor customer service and inconsistent connectivity, rather than attempting to copy competitors.

She compared the opportunity to how digital banks disrupted traditional banking by solving customer pain points ignored by incumbent institutions.

“If you intentionally solve the problems customers already face with existing operators, you will succeed, even if you are arriving later than everyone else,” she said.

Products must remove friction

For Ngozi Ogo, head of products and programs at KickOff Africa, technology alone will not differentiate ntel.

She said products succeed when customers no longer think about the technology because it simply works.

“What customers buy is not the technology. They buy the removal of friction from their daily lives,” she said.

Using ntel’s eSIM offering as an example, Ogo argued that customers are less interested in technical specifications than in being able to land in a new country, connect instantly with family, order transport and continue working without searching for Wi-Fi or changing SIM cards.

AMCON predicts industry disruption

The company’s new direction has also won support from its major shareholder.

Gbenga Alade, managing director and chief executive officer of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), said ntel’s transformation could reshape competition in Nigeria’s telecom sector.

He dismissed concerns that the operator had entered the market too late.

“Much has been said today about ntel being a late entrant. But what you are about to witness is disruption. I genuinely believe in the future of ntel. I believe in this management team,” Alade said.

Alade pledged AMCON’s continued support, describing ntel as a Nigerian company deserving of national backing.

Regulator sees stronger competition

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also welcomed the company’s transformation.

Representing Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman, Tunji Jimoh, zonal controller of the NCC’s Lagos Office, said stronger competition would improve service quality and consumer experience.

“Our commitment is simple. We will be firm, we will be fair and we will always be forthright,” he said.

He added that the Commission expects ntel’s return to contribute to better quality of service, stronger consumer protection, more reliable connectivity and affordable telecommunications services.

Read also: Nigeria’s telecom sector hits strongest growth as data economy expands

The bigger picture

Beyond the relaunch, ntel’s strategy reflects a deeper shift taking place across the telecommunications industry.

As connectivity becomes increasingly commoditised, operators are searching for growth in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, energy systems and enterprise services.

For ntel, success will no longer be judged solely by the number of SIM cards it sells. Instead, it will depend on whether it can build digital infrastructure that outlasts technology cycles, develop AI-driven services that keep customers engaged, and create new revenue from assets that many telecom companies have historically overlooked.

Its biggest challenge, however, remains execution. Nigeria’s telecom market is mature, competition is intense and consumers have become increasingly demanding. The company’s transformation strategy may be ambitious, but converting that vision into sustained market share and profitable growth will determine whether “The Next Frontier” becomes a genuine comeback, or simply another relaunch.