Telecommunications group MTN has appointed communications technology and services provider Ericsson to manage, optimise and maintain the bulk of MTN’s network infrastructure in Nigeria.

The five-year managed services contract would see Ericsson take over the day-to-day operations of MTN’s network infrastructure in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Asaba, which, combined, represented 75% of the network.

The arrangement with Ericsson, MTN’s largest managed services partner on the continent, would allow the telecommunications group to “focus even more” on its core business of providing a “superior customer experience across all its network offerings”.

MTN Nigeria, which was currently the largest mobile operator in Nigeria with over 45-million subscribers, would retain ownership and full control of its network assets and remain responsible for the strategic design and planning of the infrastructure, as well as any equipment buying decisions.

“This engagement with Ericsson is a logical step forward in our strategy execution and is consistent with our commitment to deliver a bold new digital world to our customers across Nigeria,” said MTN Nigeria CEO Michael Ikpoki in a statement on Friday.

“Leaving the management and maintenance of our infrastructure to Ericsson will allow us to focus even more on adding value to the customer experience on our network,” he added.

Ericsson head of managed services Jean-Claude Geha said the agreement marked a milestone for Ericsson in Nigeria and in the West African region.

Ericsson had, in 2013, established a new service delivery facility in Nigeria, as well as one in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The group also unveiled a regional network operations center in Côte d'Ivoire.

The facilities would enhance the delivery of Ericsson’s services portfolio across sub-Saharan Africa.

Ericsson had more than 300 managed services contracts in more than 100 countries and managed networks on behalf of operators that served over one-billion subscribers worldwide.

“Today, Ericsson has about 3 000 people supporting over 100 customers in 43 countries across sub-Saharan Africa,” Geha concluded.