The Taliban’s Ministry of Communications announced on Sunday that South Africa’s MTN Group has officially transferred its Afghanistan operations to Lebanon’s M1 New Ventures, which will now operate under the new brand name ATOMA.
The transfer was completed under the Taliban’s regulatory framework, with Najibullah Hayat Haqqani, the Taliban-appointed minister of communications, marking the occasion at a ceremony. Additionally, the ministry announced the launch of an auction for 48 megahertz of spectrum across three frequency bands, generating approximately $100 million through leasing agreements with telecommunications firms.
MTN had been operating in Afghanistan since 2007, offering mobile and internet services across large parts of the country. However, the company announced plans in 2020 to exit its Middle East operations and refocus on its core African markets.
M1 New Ventures, the investment arm of Lebanon’s M1 Group, focuses on telecommunications and technology investments in emerging markets. The company initially offered to acquire MTN’s Afghanistan unit in November 2022 for around $35 million as part of a regional expansion strategy.
Now, with the transfer complete, M1 New Ventures’ new brand, ATOMA, will continue providing telecommunications services under the current Taliban regime, though the operating environment remains difficult due to political instability, international sanctions, and a fragile economy.
