MTN dismisses the 100 customers’ requirement claim for FibreX rollout

Leading telco MTN Nigeria has dismissed claims that a minimum number of people is required in a location before rolling out its broadband service, FibreX. 

In response to Technext, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Broadband Officer (CBO), Egerton Idehen, explained that deployment decisions are driven by “technical feasibility and infrastructure readiness”.

He added that MTN has never set a fixed or 100-person threshold for the FibreX rollout.

His response comes after an X user claimed a particular MTN office said they need at least 100 people in his estate before they can roll out FibreX infrastructure and install the service for him.

The post has since generated a heated debate on what constitutes the deployment of the services. It raises unanswered questions about how people who are interested in FibreX can get rejected because of certain conditions they can’t control. 

However, Idehen’s response provides the context that MTN does not consider the number of people ready for the service. Rather, it considers whether it’s practically possible to set up Fibre X in that location based on infrastructure readiness or existing fibre layout in such an area.

“What we consider includes whether fibre ducts already pass through the area, local right‑of‑way conditions, civil works complexity and projected usage and service sustainability,” Idehen said.

Although MTN’s Mr Idehen acknowledged that community interest is an added advantage in planning the FibreX infrastructure rollout priority, he clarified that MTN did not have such a rollout requirement.

“While community interest helps us plan rollout priorities, there is no mandatory adoption quota before FibreX equipment is deployed,” he said, adding that the operator’s goal “is to serve as many Nigerians as possible without placing artificial barriers.”

Lately, MTN FibreX, Nigeria’s largest telco’s Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband network, has received significant interest. This comes amid the need for high-speed data to complement easy downloading and uploading of large files. 

FibreX promises users speeds of up to 1Gbps, unlimited data and ultra‑low latency for gaming, cloud, work‑from‑home and smart home devices. 

Also Read: FAAN, MTN launch free WiFi services at Lagos, Abuja international airports.

Understanding MTN FibreX’s deployment strategy

While MTN opposed the 100-person requirement quota for its broadband services, the expert’s submission argued that a business-considerations approach warrants prioritising FibreX deployment in areas of interest. 

Unlike Starlink’s satellite service, which operates in space, fibre uses physical infrastructure. According to a network security expert, Abdulkadir, MTN must ensure that a fibre connection is available at the site before deploying its fibre modem there.

With no infrastructure in place, they have to dig trenches, lay fibre cables across the estate, install distribution boxes, and connect the entire area to their core network. This requires a significant upfront investment. 

From a business perspective, Abdulkadir noted that MTN considers the cost-benefit stance of the action before undertaking such deployment. 

“Fibre is shared at the neighbourhood level; the more homes connected, the cheaper it becomes per person,” he said, adding that fewer users result in a higher cost per customer, which leads to a loss for MTN. 

The expert argued that cost consideration is a priority for MTN, which is why fibre is first installed in estates, apartments, and densely populated areas.

“It’s not about speed, it’s about cost recovery,” he said, adding that “FibreX isn’t ‘plug and play’ like Starlink because fibre is physical infrastructure, not a satellite signal.”

FibreX’s expansion plans

MTN FibreX has seen a significant increase in adoption in recent months, with total subscribers to its fibre service rising 658% from 11,794 in January 2025 to 89,441 in January 2026. 

While the increase signifies growth and more demand, MTN has revealed plans to expand the fibre layout across Nigeria. 

Idehen explained that the company is investing more to expand FibreX into more estates, communities, cities, and states across the country.

“Beyond connectivity, FibreX is building an ecosystem of opportunities: installers, technicians, sales agents, community contractors and many others whose livelihoods depend on and contribute to this digital infrastructure we are collectively building,” he added.

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