The Federal Government has granted Swift Telephone Network Limited (STN) a Unified Access Service Licence, clearing the way for the indigenous company to operate as a telecommunications provider in Nigeria.
STN announced the licence on Wednesday and said it would unveil its rollout plans and strategic partnerships in the coming weeks, adding another operator to Nigeria’s highly competitive telecoms market.
The Brandspur Telecom News Desk reports that STN will enter a market where MTN, Airtel and Globacom remain the dominant operators, alongside T2mobile and Lebara, while millions of Nigerians continue to depend heavily on mobile and digital connectivity for work, business and everyday communication.
Telecom industry analyst Adetunji Adeyanju said the size of Nigeria’s population still leaves room for another operator, provided STN can offer services that meet consumers’ expectations.
Economist Mikail Olohuntoba also said the new entrant could increase competition and give consumers more options, potentially encouraging operators to compete on pricing and service quality.
STN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oluwole Adetuyi, said the company would focus on developing technical skills, working with Nigerian vendors, expanding connectivity and creating opportunities across the telecommunications value chain.
Its Director of Legal and Regulatory, Yetunde Okafor, said the company’s objective was to build a Nigerian telecommunications business with international ambitions and a focus on connecting people and businesses to digital opportunities.
STN’s entry into the market follows a lengthy history dating back to 1998, when the company was founded by the late Barrister Clara Adetuyi.
The company initially operated as a small calling centre established in connection with the Nigerian University Games before introducing voicemail services to the University of Lagos community around 1999 and 2000.
In 2003, STN became a provider of digital landline services in Yaba and also supported WAEC Direct, allowing candidates to access examination results.
The company later provided landline services to organisations including the Nigerian military, the World Health Organisation and government agencies.
STN secured its own operational licences from the Nigerian Communications Commission in 2005, while its name change was approved in 2008. Its operations, however, stopped in November 2010 following infrastructure losses and internal boardroom challenges.
Adetuyi revived the company in 2017, with STN subsequently settling regulatory obligations and reinstating its licence in 2019 before resuming operations.
The company said the COVID-19 pandemic created another disruption as enterprise demand declined, prompting it to reposition its business.
STN formally applied for the Unified Access Service Licence on February 22, 2022. The approval announced in 2026 now places the company on a new path as it prepares to enter Nigeria’s broader telecommunications market.
