NCC Grants STN 10-Year Licence to Operate Nationwide Telecom Services

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has granted Swift Telephone Network Limited (STN) a 10-year Unified Access Service Licence (UASL), paving the way for the indigenous telecommunications company to provide a broad range of services across Nigeria. 

The licence, which took effect on October 1, 2026, authorises STN to provide fixed and mobile telecommunications, voice and data services nationwide. The NCC’s current database lists the licence as valid until September 30, 2036.

The approval marks a new phase for STN as it prepares to expand its telecommunications operations and develop digital infrastructure across the country. The company joins other operators holding UASL authorisation to provide multiple telecommunications services under a unified regulatory framework.

STN’s entry comes as Nigeria’s telecoms sector continues to evolve, with established operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and 9mobile serving a large and growing market. Industry coverage of the development has described STN as a new entrant with ambitions to expand connectivity and participate more extensively in Nigeria’s digital economy.

From grassroots operation to nationwide licence

STN traces its origins to 1998, when it began as a modest telephone call service operating under an umbrella structure during the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA) Games.

The company later expanded its telecommunications activities, including the deployment of digital landline services in Yaba, Lagos, in 2003. Following changing economic conditions and regulatory challenges, its operations subsequently stalled.

The business was later restructured under its current Chief Executive Officer, Oluwole Adetuyi, who revived the company in 2017. The newly issued UASL now provides the regulatory framework for STN to develop its operations as an independent, full-service telecommunications company.

“This licence is not the destination. It is the bridge. From a small business centre in 1998 to a UASL operator, the journey has been long, but it has never stopped. We are building in Nigeria, for Nigeria.” — Oluwole Adetuyi, CEO of Swift Telephone Network (STN)

The company’s history also includes earlier telecommunications activities. The NCC’s records show Swift Telephone Network Limited, formerly issued to Yoboc and Company Ltd., among operators previously licensed under the Private Network Link and Local Exchange Operator categories.

What STN’s UASL covers

The UASL gives STN regulatory authorisation to provide a comprehensive range of telecommunications services, including fixed, mobile, voice and data services across Nigeria, subject to applicable regulatory requirements and licence conditions.

The nationwide scope gives STN the regulatory platform to develop consumer and enterprise connectivity services, including mobile subscriptions and fixed broadband solutions, as it builds its infrastructure and commercial operations.

Focus on infrastructure and local capacity

STN said its expansion strategy will focus on local supply chain integration, domestic technical talent development and improving access to connectivity, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The company also plans to develop partnerships across the telecommunications value chain and invest in infrastructure as it works towards expanding digital connectivity and contributing to efforts to bridge Nigeria’s digital divide.

The executive management of STN said details of its technology deployment, regional rollout plans, spectrum acquisition and strategic infrastructure partnerships would be announced in the coming weeks.

Speaking on the broader vision for the organisation, STN executive Okafor stated that the company aims to bridge the gap between regional telecoms service and global benchmarks.

“Our ambition is clear: to build a telecommunications company that is proudly Nigerian in its roots, global in its outlook, and transformational in its impact,” she noted. “We want to connect people to opportunities, businesses to customers, and Nigeria to the possibilities of the digital future.”

As STN moves towards commercial deployment, attention will now turn to its infrastructure rollout, technology strategy and the timing of service availability across Nigeria’s major regional markets.