Telecommunications operator Lebara Nigeria has begun commercial operations in Nigeria, becoming the newest player in the country’s crowded mobile market, alongside giants such as MTN, Glo and Airtel.
Lebara does not own the networks and distribution infrastructure that connect most Nigerians.
Details showed that, unlike those operators, Lebara will sell mobile services over Airtel Nigeria’s network while focusing its investment on digital products, customer experience and services.
The launch makes Lebara the second MVNO to begin commercial service under Nigeria’s 2022 regulatory framework, after Vitel Wireless launched in October 2025. It is also Lebara Group’s first entry into Africa.
Lebara holds a Tier 5 MVNO licence issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission in 2023 and has partnered with Airtel Nigeria as its host network.
The company confirmed the partnership at a soft launch in Lagos on February 25, co-hosted with the United Kingdom’s Department for Business and Trade.
The company said it has begun activating customers who reserved personalised mobile numbers under its 0724 prefix during a pre-launch registration period.
Customers can claim those numbers through the My LebaraNG app or at Slot stores, the electronics retailer.
In her remarks, the Chief Operating Officer of Lebara said, “We are not entering the market believing that the answer is simply to compete on price.”
“Our ambition is to compete across value, customer experience and digital convenience, while remaining competitively priced,” she added.
