Nokia announced Tuesday that it has signed a major 5G equipment deal with BT, which is the biggest telecoms group in Britain, CNBC reported.

The announcement comes after the U.K. said in July that it would ban Huawei equipment from its 5G network rollout, and it suggests Nokia is replacing Huawei’s remaining share of infrastructure in BT’s 5G network.

Philip Jansen, CEO of BT Group, said in a statement: “In a fast-moving and competitive market, it’s critical we make the right technology choices.”

Under the deal, Nokia will provide 5G equipment and services at BT radio sites across the U.K. Specifically, BT will use Nokia’s AirScale Single Ran (S-RAN) equipment to provide indoor and outdoor coverage to its customers. That equipment includes base stations and radio access products.

The Finnish telecoms firm said it will become BT’s largest infrastructure partner as a result of the deal, with industry sources telling that it will account for 63% of BT’s entire network. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Nokia currently powers BT’s network in London, the English Midlands and some rural locations – but that footprint is now set to expand.

Pekka Lundmark, president and CEO of Nokia, said in a statement that the company’s collaborative relationship over the years will spur the best connectivity service delivery.

“Our two companies have collaborated for over a quarter of a century in order to deliver best-in-class connectivity to people across the United Kingdom. We are proud to support BT’s 5G network evolution and look forward to working even more closely together in the years to come,” he said.

In July, U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said mobile network operators in the country would be forced to stop buying equipment from Huawei by the end of the year. They are also required to strip out Huawei gear from their infrastructure by 2027.

It’s a major reversal for the U.K., which in January gave Huawei restricted access to the country’s next-generation mobile networks. Under previous guidelines, mobile network operators were required to reduce the share of Huawei kit in non core parts of their infrastructure to 35% by 2023.

The development underscores a win for the United States government, who has in the past few years, mounted pressure on its allies to part ways with Huawei. For the UK, the decision to oust Huawei comes with a high cost. Replacing the Chinese company’s existing 5G infrastructure will cost Britain over $3.1 billion.

National security has been at the center of the controversy between Huawei and Western governments, and Britain is willing to pay more to keep its relationship with the United States and save itself the concern of being spied on by China, through Huawei’s 5G equipment.

Huawei’s 5G fallout with the US has inadvertently paved the way for its European counterparts. Finish Nokia and Swedish Ericsson thus have less contested corridors to get into the 5G market, especially in Europe.

But Huawei said it welcomes the development as part of competition that will deliver innovation and diversified supply chains.

“We embrace fair competition as it delivers innovation for the consumer and the more diversified a supply chain, the more competitive it becomes. U.K. networks face being dependent on just two vendors for 5G from 2027, delaying the 5G roll-out and undermining diversity of supply so essential to network security,” Huawei’s spokesperson said.

Following GTBank and Sterling Bank’s announcement of going holdco, Access Bank announced on Tuesday that it has gotten approval-in-principle from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to restructure to a holding company.

The bank said the details of the structure will be announced later, but the holdco structure will help it to expedite its objectives around business diversification, improved operational efficiencies, talent retention as well as robust governance.

A holding company is a corporation that owns a controlling interest in one or more banks but does not itself offer banking services. Holding companies do not run day-to-day operations of the banks they own. But they exercise control over management and company policies.

Access Bank used the opportunity to announce also, its expansion plan to other African countries. The bank said it has secured definitive agreement to bolster its market position in Mozambique and enter the South African market. The move follows the recent transaction with Cavmont Bank in Zambia and further embeds the bank’s presence in the SADC region, one of Africa’s most important trading blocs.

According to the bank’s management, these transactions would result in a more connected African banking network that builds on Access Bank’s existing foundation and enhances its value proposition to stakeholders, including customers and employees.

It added that shareholders would benefit from the economies of scale of a larger banking network, including the associated cost efficiencies arising from the bank’s federated IT system and replication of investments in innovative products across a wider range of markets.

The bank’s management explained that a broader and connected Africa network remains a core strategic focus for geographic earnings growth and diversification, which will further enhance profitability and risk metrics.

“Through these transactions, Access Bank will be well placed to promote regional trade finance and other cross-border banking services, further leveraging its presence in key global trade corridors in the UAE, the UK, China, Lebanon and India,” Access Bank said in a statement.

Using the medium, the bank also announced that it has received regulatory approvals to begin operations in Mozambique, using the name, Access Bank Mozambique, S.A. (Access Bank Mozambique). It said its subsidiary, Access Bank Mozambique, has entered into a definitive agreement with ABC Holdings Limited (“ABC Holdings”), a subsidiary of Atlas Mara Limited (Atlas Mara) to acquire African Banking Corporation (Moçambique), S.A, (“BancABC Mozambique”) for cash, in a combination of definitive and contingent consideration.

“This transaction will be funded from the capital invested by the Bank in Access Bank Mozambique and will result in the Access Bank Mozambique becoming the 7th largest bank in the country, up from the 20th.

“As an enlarged business, Access Bank Mozambique will have an enhanced capacity to play a more impactful role in the growth of the Mozambican economy, particularly in the emerging oil and gas sector, an industry that Access Bank has deep experience in. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions precedent,” the bank said.

Regarding its presence in South Africa, Access Bank explained that it is building a strategy to deliver a robust banking operation that connects key African markets; the bank said it has also entered into a definitive agreement with GroCapital Holdings (“GroCapital”) to invest in Grobank Limited over two tranches.

It said the first is an initial cash consideration for a 49 percent shareholding, increasing to a majority stake in the second tranche.

“Both tranches are subject to various regulatory approvals and the overall transaction subject to Grobank’s shareholder approvals.

“GroCapital, whose shareholders include the Public Investment Corporation – Africa’s largest investment manager, and Fairfax Africa Holdings – a leading global investor, will retain an existing but diluted shareholding in Grobank.

“A presence in South Africa will serve as a cornerstone for further momentum in delivering on Access Bank’s mission to be Africa’s Gateway to the world. The proposed transaction is expected to provide access to the largest banking market in Africa and enable Access Bank to consolidate its Southern Africa and broader African footprint with enhanced capabilities to fulfill the needs of multinational clients,” the bank said.

Speaking on the development, Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe said the bank is focused on building the scale needed to become a leading African bank; one that leverages our experienced and growing talent base and key stakeholder partnerships towards driving sustainable impact and profitability.

“These transactions will significantly strengthen our presence in Southern Africa and further our footprint for growth in the SADC region. With a broader presence across the continent, Access Bank will be better placed to support our customers who are increasingly looking towards intra Africa growth,” he said.