Nigeria’s burgeoning mobile market is about to get a little more crowded with news that local fixed-wireless operator MegaTech is to invest US$500 million in a CDMA network launching across 23 states in the country. A TelecomTiger report notes that the operator has already received a Unified Access License from the Nigerian Communications Commission, which includes support for 3G services (currently only offered by Glo Mobile). Last year, MegaTech reportedly awarded a US$100 million contract to ZTE for network deployment. Services are expected to be launched by the middle of this year.

According to Wireless Intelligence data, MTN leads the Nigerian mobile market with 21.2 million subscribers by the end of 2008. The operator is to spend as much as US$1.6 billion this year to boost capacity and quality on its mobile network. However, competition in the market – the largest in Africa in terms of connections – is increasing, with seven mobile operators currently in operation. Market penetration stands at 42 percent. In January, Telecompaper reported that Gicell Wireless, a new operator that has financial backing from the World Bank, was reported to be aiming to roll-out a new CDMA2000 mobile network using 450MHz spectrum and offering the country’s lowest ever call tariffs. In the same month South Africa’s largest fixed-line operator Telkom acquired the remaining 25 percent of its Nigerian subsidiary Multi-Links for US$130 million, and is planning to launch mobile services. Etisalat launched services in Nigeria in October 2008 and Vodafone has also been linked with a move into the country.