STN gets NCC licence, set to enter Nigeria’s telecoms market

Swift Telephone Network Limited (STN) has received a Unified Access Service Licence (UASL) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), paving the way for the company to commence operations in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

The company announced the development in a statement, describing the licence as a major milestone in its transformation from a telephone call service operating under an umbrella structure into an independent Nigerian telecommunications company.

Chief Executive Officer of STN, Oluwole Adetuyi, said the licence marked a new phase for the company as it seeks to develop digital infrastructure and provide telecommunications services across the country.

“This UASL is not just a licence. It is a new chapter. It represents where we started, what we have endured, how we have evolved, and where we are going. We are building in Nigeria, for Nigeria,” Adetuyi said.

The UASL authorises STN to provide a broad range of telecommunications services, including voice, data and access services across Nigeria.

According to the company, its expansion plans will focus on infrastructure development, skills training, partnerships with Nigerian service providers and contractors, and collaboration with global technology firms to strengthen local technical capacity.

STN also plans to create employment and business opportunities for Nigerians in areas including distribution, retail and support services, while increasing Nigerian participation in the telecommunications value chain.

“Our ambition is simple: to help build Nigeria’s digital economy from the ground up,” Adetuyi said.

He added, “This licence gives us the platform. Nigerian talent, Nigerian partners, and Nigerian innovation will give us the momentum.”

The company said it would roll out telecommunications infrastructure aimed at expanding access and helping to bridge the country’s digital divide.

Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Yetunde Okafor, said STN would announce strategic partnerships, infrastructure rollout plans and programmes for investors and other stakeholders in the coming weeks as it prepares to commence commercial operations.

Okafor said the company had evolved from its origins as a telephone call service into a UASL-licensed operator focused on building resilient, inclusive and innovative digital infrastructure in Nigeria.

The NCC’s Unified Access Service Licence permits operators to provide comprehensive telecommunications services, including fixed, mobile, voice and data services, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.