MTN and Airtel's $400 Million Cloud Gamble: A Bold Move Against AWS

MTN and Airtel's Big Bet on Local Cloud Services

In a significant move to reshape the Nigerian tech landscape,

MTN and Airtel are investing nearly $400 million (₦613.81 billion) to introduce cloud and AI services tailored for startups. This decision aims to challenge established giants like AWS (Amazon Web Services), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, which currently dominate the market. By pricing their services in naira, these telecom giants hope to retain tech spending within Nigeria, ensuring that local startups benefit directly from these investments.

Understanding the Pricing Strategy

Lynda Saint-Nwafor, MTN’s chief enterprise business officer, highlights a key distinction: "there is a difference between charging in naira and being priced in naira." This strategic move aims to address the growing financial strain on startups, especially after the naira's dramatic decline against the dollar from ₦471/$ to ₦1,534.52/$ in 2025.

Local startups have felt the impact of currency devaluation, with increasing dollar expenses intensifying financial pressure. The opacity surrounding global pricing practices often leaves entrepreneurs at a disadvantage. MTN plans to undercut global rates by 15–20% while enhancing local data sovereignty by hosting workloads locally.

The Cloud Landscape in Nigeria

According to a report from Mordor Intelligence, Nigeria's cloud computing market is projected to hit $1.03 billion in 2025, escalating to $3.28 billion by 2030. A significant portion of this spending currently flows overseas. In the latest figures, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud command 65% of the total cloud expenditure worldwide, which reached $90.9 billion in Q1 2025.

As the demand for cloud computing increases, the potential capture of this market becomes increasingly vital. MTN and Airtel’s foray into this sector marks a concerted effort to reclaim vital capital that currently benefits foreign companies.

Building the Infrastructure

MTN's ambitious plans include the development of a Tier 4 data center, which sets the foundation for their cloud service platform. The data center's capabilities will provide the necessary infrastructure for companies looking to digitize their operations while improving efficiency. Thus far, MTN has already invested $120 million in this venture, with plans for an additional $135 million.

This strategy is not only about hardware investment but also includes improving technological capabilities with enhanced cybersecurity and user-friendly tools. These features will support self-service orchestration, allowing clients to provision and scale resources similar to established providers like AWS and Google Cloud.

A Competitive Edge Over Local and Global Providers

Local competition is intensifying, with startups like Nobus Cloud and Layer3 vying for market share. Unlike MTN and Airtel, these smaller players do not own significant infrastructure and often rely on open-source solutions like OpenStack. The advantage of having lower latency and greater reliability with owned infrastructure could position MTN and Airtel ahead in the market.

Considering the recent currency fluctuations, a local service offering priced in naira could not only appeal to native startups but also ensure that data sovereignty remains within the Nigerian borders.

Future Predictions in Cloud Computing

Industry analysts are watching closely as MTN and Airtel stake their claims for significant market share in Nigeria's rapidly evolving tech ecosystem. The question remains: will performance meet expectations?

As Aaron Sotunde-Adesina, CEO of Quonos, puts it, “If it is cheap and works, people will adopt it. If it doesn’t work or isn’t reliable, it will be a big struggle.” Hence, the success of these cloud offerings will largely depend on their performance and reliability.

The Implications for Startups

For young entrepreneurs and startups, the rapidly shifting cloud landscape signals a potential renaissance for local businesses. With affordable, reliable, and locally-priced services, there is hope for reducing operational costs and improving the overall business climate.

MTN and Airtel's investments could usher in a new era of local tech innovation, enabling young entrepreneurs to challenge established norms without the crippling financial pressure associated with dollar-denominated expenses.