For nearly two decades, independent tower companies have provided a neutral platform where mobile network operators can colocate equipment, share costs, and expand coverage without owning the physical infrastructure. That model is now under pressure following MTN’s $2.2 billion acquisition of IHS Towers. With the deal, MTN is reclaiming strategic control over assets it once sold and reshaping the economics of telecom infrastructure across its markets. The shift could redraw the competitive landscape, forcing rivals to depend on infrastructure owned by their largest competitor while driving a broader move toward operator-controlled tower networks. The result may reshape the neutral tower market that helped drive Africa’s mobile expansion. Why MTN is buying back its towers MTN’s rationa...