Bhluemountain is effective, reliable, and easy to work with. Schedule a free consultation and we’ll show you why we were named one of the top IT firms in Nigeria
start Now
We are a team of top-accredited professionals who are unceasingly committed to delivering trailblazing solutions that ensure your maximum productivity. We help our customers build the core foundation for a successful and secure digital transformation journey
Quality is at the heart of everything we do, and we continuously challenge ourselves to improve our services to meet or exceed the needs and expectations of our customers, while always complying with regulations and specifications.
Whilst we have a big smile on our faces about our recognition, we never forget that our team and our clients work together as one, so thank you for all of your support.
Together with our team of accredited experts, we assist businesses in navigating their current IT estates and digital future through informed and cost-saving IT models.
At Bhluemountain we help small and large enterprises, run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. We deploy our technology solutions and services to enable businesses drive performance, competitiveness, and customer experience.
Whatever your industry area, we provide full-spectrum IT support services to help you meet changing business needs.
Effective Cloud Solutions and strategies that help you drive overall efficiency and scale effortlessly.
Gain key insights from data to drive impactful outcomes for strategic objectives.
Technology and industry consulting expertise to help you drive your digital transformation journey.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy will review MTN Group’s proposed $2.2 billion acquisition of IHS Towers, a landmark deal that would hand Africa’s largest mobile operator full control of one of the continent’s most extensive tower portfolios. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Minister Bosun Tijani said the Ministry would undertake a “thorough assessment” of the transaction in collaboration with relevant regulators, citing the strategic importance of telecoms infrastructure to national security, financial services, and economic growth. “Our objective is clear: to ensure that any market consolidation or structural changes protect consumers, safeguard investments, and preserve the long-term sustainability of the sector,” he said. The ministry’s intervention underscores how sensitive infrastructure consolidation has become in Nigeria’s fragile but recovering telecoms market. After years of currency volatility, rising tower lease costs, and debt pressures that strained operators and tower companies alike, regulators are now balancing investor confidence with competition, consumer protection, and national interest. Earlier on Tuesday, MTN confirmed it had agreed to acquire all outstanding shares in IHS that it does not already own at $8.50 per share, valuing the company at approximately $6.2 billion. MTN currently owns about 24.7% of IHS and intends to increase its stake to 100% through a cash merger that would take the tower company private. The transaction would consolidate control of nearly 29,000 telecom towers across Africa, tightening MTN’s grip on the physical infrastructure that underpins its network operations in Nigeria, its largest market. MTN said it plans to fund the $2.2 billion acquisition using roughly $1.1 billion in cash on IHS’s balance sheet, alongside available liquidity and new debt at the group level. The deal marks one of the most consequential infrastructure shifts in Nigeria’s telecoms sector in over a decade. For years, operators spun off tower assets to firms like IHS to reduce capital expenditure and focus on customer growth. Reversing that model signals a strategic rethink as profitability pressures reshape the industry. IHS Towers provides services for other telecom operators, including Airtel, the second-largest mobile network operator in Nigeria. A successful acquisition would not only hand over the tower company’s assets, but it would also give MTN an advantage over its competitors in the Nigerian market. MTN already takes 52% share of the market in Nigeria, with Airtel trailing at 33.94% share of the market. MTN has also entered into infrastructure-sharing deals that allow competitors like Airtel and T2 Mobile ride on its infrastructure in areas where they are unable to reach customers. Over the past two years, Nigeria’s telecom operators have faced mounting financial pressure from naira devaluation and dollar-denominated tower lease obligations. MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa both reported steep foreign exchange losses in 2023 before returning to improved profitability in recent results, aided by tariff adjustments and cost restructuring. For IHS, Nigeria remains its largest market, but one weighed down by currency headwinds and high power costs. Any acquisition would therefore represent not just a corporate buyout, but a structural shift in how telecom infrastructure is financed, owned, and managed in Africa’s biggest telecoms economy.
Read MoreMTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator, is moving to take full ownership of IHS Towers in a $2.2 billion deal that would consolidate control of nearly 29,000 telecom towers across Africa and mark a major strategic shift for the continent’s largest mobile network operator. IHS Towers accepted an offer of $8.50 per share in a transaction that would increase MTN’s stake to 100% and result in IHS being taken private, MTN noted in a statement on Tuesday shared with TechCabal. The proposed deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, as well as the delisting of IHS from the New York Stock Exchange. MTN owns approximately 24.7% of IHS and intends to acquire all outstanding shares it does not already hold through a cash merger. The deal values the IHS at approximately $6.2 billion, the company said in a separate statement. The proposed acquisition marks a notable reversal of MTN’s earlier infrastructure strategy. Like many telecom operators over the past decade, MTN had separated its tower assets to unlock capital and reduce capital intensity. Now, the group is seeking to reintegrate those assets, internalising tower lease margins it currently pays to IHS and capturing future third-party revenue growth directly. Shares of IHS dropped to $8.16 on Tuesday evening, February 17, 2026, after the announcement was made. The $8.50 per share offer in the MTN deal represents a 9.7% premium to IHS’s 30-day volume-weighted average price as of 4 February 2026, the last trading day before MTN released its cautionary announcement. For shareholders, the transaction provides an opportunity to make profits at a premium, particularly at a time when global tower valuations have faced pressure from higher interest rates and currency volatility in emerging markets. The deal follows IHS’s announced disposals of its Latin American assets earlier in February 2026. Upon completion of those transactions, MTN intends to acquire 100% of IHS’s remaining business, primarily focused on Africa. IHS is one of the world’s largest independent tower companies, with nearly 29,000 high-quality towers serving multiple mobile network operators in five key MTN markets. “This proposed transaction is a pivotal step in further strengthening MTN Group’s strategic and financial position for a future where digital infrastructure will become ever more essential to Africa’s growth and development,” said MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita. He described the deal as a “unique opportunity” to buy back MTN’s towers and strengthen its ability to partner with governments across its markets. MTN plans to fund the $2.2 billion acquisition using approximately $1.1 billion in cash on IHS’s balance sheet, alongside available liquidity and debt at the group level. The company stated that no new equity issuance would be required, although the funding structure, it noted, may lead to a short-term increase in leverage. MTN expects the transaction to be earnings-positive to both net income and cash flow. Long-term IHS shareholder Wendel has provided a letter of support, committing to vote in favour of the transaction, and will receive full liquidity upon closing. With Wendel’s backing and MTN’s own voting rights, around 40% of the required two-thirds shareholder approval has effectively been secured. “The proposed transaction deepens our long-standing partnership with MTN as it combines Africa’s largest mobile network operator with one of its largest digital infrastructure platforms and underscores the strong connection between IHS Towers and the African continent,” IHS Chairman and CEO, Sam Dawish, said. If approved, the transaction would create the largest integrated tower platform in Africa under MTN’s control. Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include IHS’ valuation based on the deal.
Read MoreThe Nigerian government introduced the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) in 2023 to expand access to tertiary education and reduce financial pressure on students and their sponsors. The fund was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act 2023, later revised in 2024 to clarify eligibility and repayment terms, and formally created NELFUND as the agency responsible for managing and disbursing student loans to qualified Nigerians in public higher institutions. The fund covers two major components: institutional charges and student upkeep. Institutional charges are paid directly to the school, while upkeep support is paid into the student’s personal bank account. So far, the scheme has disbursed ₦184 billion ($136.18 million) to 1.5 million students across 265 institutions. As the 2025/2026 academic cycle reaches its peak, more than 2 million Nigerian higher education students are seeking clarity on payment timelines and repayment terms. This guide breaks down the latest updates from NELFUND to help applicants navigate the portal and secure their academic loans. What to know about the NELFUND disbursement for 2026 Disbursement of student loans for the 2025/2026 academic session is currently ongoing. Applications opened in October 2025 and were initially scheduled to close in January 2026. However, this deadline was moved to February 27, 2026, to give students more time to complete their application. Approved loans are being released in batches; the fund scheme disclosed in February 2026 that it disbursed almost ₦400 million ($295,000) in student loans to Delta State University, Abraka. NELFUND typically aims to disburse funds within 30 days of receiving an approved application. However, the timeline for payment depends on how quickly institutions confirm student enrollment and upload fee details. Once verification is complete and approval is granted, institutional fees are paid directly to schools, while upkeep allowances are transferred to students. If an application still shows as pending, it may mean that verification or internal processing is still in progress. Are you qualified to apply for NELFUND? The scheme is currently available to Nigerian students who are studying or desire to study in federal higher institutions, including public universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, or vocational schools in Nigeria. Students can apply for the loan in each academic cycle, and repayment begins two years after completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Loan amounts are not fixed because tuition varies across schools. The amount covered under institutional charges depends on the official fee structure submitted and verified by each institution. Students may also apply for upkeep support of up to ₦20,000 ($14.79) monthly to assist with living expenses during the academic session. Get The Best African Tech Newsletters In Your Inbox Select your country Nigeria Ghana Kenya South Africa Egypt Morocco Tunisia Algeria Libya Sudan Ethiopia Somalia Djibouti Eritrea Uganda Tanzania Rwanda Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Central African Republic Chad Cameroon Gabon Equatorial Guinea São Tomé and Príncipe Angola Zambia Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia Lesotho Eswatini Mozambique Madagascar Mauritius Seychelles Comoros Cape Verde Guinea-Bissau Senegal The Gambia Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia Côte d’Ivoire Burkina Faso Mali Niger Benin Togo Other Select your gender Male Female Others TC Daily TC Events Next wave Entering Tech Subscribe The NELFUND application process To apply, students must register on the official NELFUND portal and create an account before completing their profile. To create an account: Open the NELFUND application portal Confirm your citizenship Verify your student status by inputting your institution and matriculation number Verify your JAMB status by providing your JAMB registration number and date of birth If your National Identification Number (NIN) is not linked to your JAMB profile, you will need to provide it for verification A code will be sent to the email address provided to verify the account, and then your account will be created Complete your profile by providing your contact details, including a valid phone number, a residential address, your State of residence, and your State of Origin. Then you would provide your account details, and your account will be created. To apply for the loan: On the portal’s dashboard, select ‘Loan’ If you wish to apply for the upkeep loan of ₦20,000 ($14.79) monthly, select it You then upload your admission letter (mandatory) and your student ID card Then you will be directed to a page where you will see the total loan amount, and then submit your application Applications for NELFUND’s 2025/2026 disbursement cycle are open until the end of the month, as the scheme continues to expand its reach to ensure no student is left behind. While applying, it is important for accurate documentation and information to be submitted to ensure funds are disbursed in time.
Read More
