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IHS Holding Limited has completed its exit from the Latin American telecommunications tower market, clearing another major hurdle ahead of its proposed acquisition by MTN Group in a deal valued at approximately $6.2 billion.
The divestment marks a significant milestone in the transaction, allowing IHS to sharpen its focus on Africa while bringing MTN closer to finalising one of the continent’s largest telecommunications infrastructure acquisitions.
Latin American Assets Sold
IHS confirmed it has completed the sale of its Latin American operations to Macquarie Asset Management, fulfilling a key condition tied to MTN’s proposed acquisition.
The disposal removes IHS’ operations in Brazil and Colombia from the transaction, leaving the company with a portfolio concentrated across its African markets, where it owns and operates thousands of telecommunications towers supporting mobile network operators.
MTN Moves Closer to Full Ownership
The development comes just days after IHS shareholders approved MTN Group’s proposal to acquire the remaining shares it does not already own, satisfying another major requirement for the transaction.
Under the agreement announced earlier this year, MTN will acquire all outstanding IHS shares at $8.50 per share in an all-cash deal that values the tower company at an enterprise value of approximately $6.2 billion. Regulatory approvals across relevant jurisdictions remain outstanding before the acquisition can be completed.
Strategic Shift for Both Companies
For IHS, the Latin America exit represents a strategic repositioning around its core African business, where telecommunications infrastructure demand continues to grow as operators expand broadband connectivity and prepare for wider 5G deployment.
For MTN, the acquisition aligns with its long-term Ambition 2030 strategy, which places digital infrastructure at the centre of future growth.
Bringing IHS fully under its control would give MTN ownership of one of Africa’s largest independent tower portfolios, strengthening its ability to support network expansion while reducing long-term dependence on leased infrastructure.
Infrastructure Seen as a Long-Term Growth Driver
Industry analysts view tower infrastructure as increasingly critical to Africa’s digital transformation, with growing demand for mobile broadband, cloud services, financial technology and artificial intelligence expected to drive continued investment.
Full ownership of IHS would provide MTN with greater operational flexibility, improve infrastructure planning and potentially generate long-term cost efficiencies across its network operations.
The move also reflects a broader trend in the global telecommunications industry, where operators are reassessing tower ownership strategies to strengthen competitiveness and support expanding digital ecosystems.
Final Regulatory Approvals Awaited
Although the transaction has cleared significant milestones, including shareholder approval and the completion of IHS’ Latin American divestment, it remains subject to regulatory clearance in the jurisdictions where both companies operate.
Once completed, the deal will take IHS private and delist the company from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), while significantly expanding MTN’s ownership of telecommunications infrastructure across Africa.
A Landmark Deal for Africa’s Telecom Sector
The proposed acquisition is widely regarded as one of the most consequential infrastructure transactions in Africa’s telecommunications industry in recent years.
By combining MTN’s extensive mobile operations with IHS’ tower portfolio, the transaction is expected to strengthen network resilience, accelerate digital connectivity and position the group to meet growing demand for high-speed mobile and data services across the continent.
With the Latin American exit now complete, attention shifts to the remaining regulatory processes that will determine when MTN can formally complete its takeover of one of Africa’s largest tower companies.
