MTN Group’s Capex touched R11.6 billion in the first half of 2021 with Capex intensity of 13.3 percent as compared with R10.05 billion with Capex intensity of 12 percent in H1 2020.

MTN said 38 percent of the company’s Capex spending was in Radio Access, 23 percent in IT Systems, 23 percent in Site Infrastructure, 13 percent in Transmission, 2 percent in Core Network and 1 percent in Other Capex during the first half.

MTN’s Capex spending was R3.032 billion in South Africa, R4.049 billion in Nigeria, R1.137 billion in SEA, R2.790 billion in WECA, R268 million in MENA, R563 million in Iran and R292 million in other areas in the first half.

MTN has retained the 2021 Capex guidance of R30.1 billion for networks.

MTN continued to accelerate its investment and expand the capacity of networks despite COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. MTN rolled out 1,873 3G sites, 7,023 4G sites and 324 5G radio sites during the first half.

MTN South Africa has over 500 5G sites across several spectrum bands. MTN South Africa said it plans to significantly scale up should it be allocated 3500MHz high demand spectrum in the country.

MTN said the headroom in core data networks of larger markets, at peak utilization, was approximately 17 percent in South Africa, 31 percent in Nigeria and 22 percent in Ghana. Upgrades are underway in these three markets that will increase core network headroom to approximately 40 percent in South Africa, 50 percent in Nigeria and 50 percent in Ghana by the end of the year.

MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita said: “MTN delivered a solid H1, exceeding most of the Group’s medium-term targets through sustained commercial momentum as we executed on our Ambition 2025 strategy.”