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MTN Group is pleased to announce key leadership changes aimed at addressing succession, operational execution, and advancing the Ambition 2025 strategy.

Operating Companies’ Leadership Changes

Mitwa Ng’ambi, CEO of MTN Cameroon, will move to the same position at MTN Côte d’Ivoire, effective 1 March 2025, as Djibril Ouattara takes early retirement. We thank Djibril for his significant contributions to MTN, including his leadership of MTN Congo-Brazzaville. To ensure an orderly handover, Djibril will support Mitwa during her transition for a few months.

Mitwa brings over 15 years of telecom experience and transformational leadership, having served as CEO of MTN Cameroon since September 2022. She is also the Board Chairperson of Mobile Money Corporation, MTN’s fintech subsidiary in Cameroon. Prior to her role in Cameroon, Mitwa was CEO of MTN Rwanda, where she successfully led the renewal of the company’s licence and spearheaded its growth and listing on the Rwanda Stock Exchange. Previously, she held leadership positions at Airtel Tigo in Ghana and Tigo in Senegal. Mitwa’s experience and track record will add impetus to the growth and turnaround of MTN Côte d’Ivoire.

Wanda Matandela, Chief Commercial Operations Officer at MTN South Africa, has been appointed as the new CEO for MTN Cameroon, effective 1 March 2025. Wanda joined MTN in 2018 as Chief Enterprise Business Officer and drove the turnaround of this business. With over 20 years of experience, including more than 13 years in telecoms, he has held strategic roles across the FMCG and financial services sectors. Wanda serves on the boards of Supersonic (Pty) Ltd and MTN Rwanda PLC. His strong commercial and stakeholder management experience will be invaluable as he builds on the high impact and energy created under Mitwa’s leadership, bringing new capabilities and insights to drive growth in Cameroon.

Change in leadership at digital infrastructure business

Effective 1 January 2025, Mazen Mroue, MTN Group Chief Technology and Information Officer (GCTIO), will assume additional responsibilities as CEO of Digital Infrastructure (Infraco). This new role will incorporate the mobility and fibre businesses of Bayobab, along with executing our data centre strategy as we position MTN Group for growth and profitability in the development of AI across Africa. In this dual role, he will continue to report to the Group President and CEO and remain a member of the Group Executive Committee.

Since joining MTN in 1998, Mazen has held various senior positions within the Group’s regional operations in Africa and the Middle East, including CEO and COO roles across multiple operating companies. He has also served as a board member of various companies within the MTN Group. Mazen’s strong technology and operational experience, combined with his track record of delivery, positions him well to fulfil this dual mandate.

Frédéric Schepens, current CEO of Bayobab, will be leaving the group effective immediately. We thank Frédéric for his contributions and wish him success in his future endeavours.

MTN Group President & CEO Ralph Mupita extends his best wishes and appreciation to all incoming and outgoing colleagues, expressing confidence in the internal succession bench-strength of the business. He emphasises the importance of driving execution and maintaining our commitment to digital and financial inclusion priorities across our markets.

The digital age offers remarkable opportunities for children across Africa but also exposes them to significant risks, requiring collective action to ensure their safety. Today, MTN Group convened policymakers, educators, advocacy groups, and digital safety experts to unveil the findings of its Online Child Safety African Insights research, conducted in partnership with IPSOS.

The event also highlighted MTN’s renewed efforts under its Help Children Be Children (HCBC) initiative to address online child abuse and exploitation.

The research, which spanned Nigeria, South Sudan, and Zambia, sheds light on critical challenges facing children in the digital space. In Nigeria, over 50% of children surveyed reported experiencing bullying or harassment online, with many refraining from seeking help due to fear of judgment or punishment. In South Sudan, unrestricted access to inappropriate content without adequate parental guidance was linked to heightened stress and behavioural issues among children. Meanwhile, Zambian parents and educators highlighted the urgent need for support in navigating online safety measures.

Alarmingly, the data also showed a direct link between online abuse and adverse mental health impacts, including anxiety and withdrawal in children.

MTN Group’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Nompilo Morafo, emphasised the collective responsibility for safeguarding children online: “This research underlines the urgency of equipping children with the skills to protect themselves online while empowering caregivers to create safer digital environments.”

“MTN is steadfast in our commitment to ensure the digital world offers growth and opportunity, free from harm. However, this is a collective responsibility—we cannot do it alone,” she said. IPSOS Associate Director Marcus Hollington concurred: “The research underscores the urgency of equipping children with the skills they need to protect themselves online while also empowering the adults in their lives to provide effective support,” he said, adding: “Education and peer influence are crucial to fostering safer digital behaviors in these diverse contexts.”

The HCBC campaign addresses the key challenges highlighted in the research, focusing on peer advocacy and enhancing the capabilities of caregivers and educators. By empowering children—many of whom face online harassment and exposure to harmful content—MTN aims to create a secure digital environment. It does so by championing online safety within its communities and equipping adults with tools and knowledge to mitigate these risks. This approach not only reduces exposure to risks but also promotes positive mental health outcomes, addressing the emotional toll identified in the research.

A cornerstone of MTN’s efforts is its partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). This collaboration has resulted in the creation of the Africa-wide MTN-IWF Portal, a critical resource for reporting and addressing harmful online content. Accessible at Child Online Protection | MTN.com, the portal enables swift action to tackle Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). In 2023 alone, MTN inspected over 656 million URLs using adaptive systems to block harmful sites identified by IWF.

The findings and MTN’s proactive measures underscore the importance of collaboration. Governments, civil society, businesses, and individuals must unite to protect children from the dark side of the internet. Reports of harmful online activity can be made through the MTN-IWF Portal to ensure the swift removal of dangerous content.

MTN remains resolute in its mission to safeguard Africa’s youngest digital users, empowering them to explore the internet confidently and safely while ensuring their well-being and security remain at the forefront.

Read the full Online Child Safety African Insights research: here

MTN Group’s commitment to shared value in Africa extends beyond providing essential connectivity. In 2023, our total tax contribution to governments across all markets increased by more than 12% to R61.7 billion. This figure encompasses the direct corporate taxes we pay, indirect taxes, operating licence fees, payroll taxes, property rates, dividend taxes and withholding taxes.

“Our total tax contribution is equivalent to the cost of building more than 500 high-quality schools,” notes MTN Group Chief Financial Officer Tsholo Molefe, adding that governments across our markets could use our total tax contribution (TTC) to invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare and a wide range of other public services.

“Our commitment to paying our fair share of taxes supports the positive relationships we have with governments and communities; it also promotes stability and predictability in the business environment,” said Molefe, adding: “This not only attracts foreign investment but also creates new job opportunities, further stimulating economic growth across the continent.”

To maintain transparency, MTN releases an annual Tax Report as part of its suite of reports. This year, we mark 30 years of connecting people and driving digital and financial inclusion. We recognise that the business’s growth in this time would not have been possible without the trust and support of our many stakeholders.

“We build public trust through transparency, including open communication about our tax affairs, including via our Tax Report,” Molefe said.

The report details our broader economic contribution across our markets – beyond the corporate taxes we pay. It also unpacks the evolving global tax environment, MTN’s approach to tax, tax governance, our TTC by market, as well as our effective tax rates.

In 2023, our West and Central Africa (WECA#) region accounted for 39% of our independently assured total tax contribution.This was followed by Nigeria, with 31%; our Southern and East Africa (SEA^) region at nearly 14%; and South Africa at almost 11%.

“We are very pleased to play our part in supporting Africa’s progress and encourage stakeholders to explore our Tax Report for a detailed look at our impact beyond the economic activity created through providing essential communications services across 17 African markets.”

For our 2023 Tax Report, please see MTN Group | home (mtn-investor.com)

MTN marks three decades of operations, celebrating a legacy of connecting people, changing lives, and driving economic growth across South Africa and the African continent.

“As we reflect on this significant milestone, we express our sincere gratitude to all our stakeholders, past and present, across multiple jurisdictions, for their support,” said MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita. “We couldn’t have achieved this remarkable success without you.”

Since its inception in 1994, MTN has evolved from a small South African start-up with 20 employees into a global telecommunications leader, employing over 17,500 individuals representing more than 70 nationalities across 18 diverse markets.

In South Africa, MTN’s impact has been profound. The company’s network now reaches 97% of the population, providing a foundation for digital inclusion and economic empowerment. By investing in cutting-edge technologies like 4G and 5G, MTN has ensured that South Africa remains at the forefront of technological advancement. A recent study by KPMG showed that MTN South Africa’s contribution to the country’s GDP is substantial, making it a key player in the national economy.

The evolution of handsets and the proliferation of apps have democratised access to information and essential services, from financial solutions to healthcare, education, and entertainment. This has been a game-changer for individuals and businesses alike.

MTN’s influence extends far beyond South Africa. In 2023, the MTN Group recorded over R220 billion (more than US$11 billion) in revenue, a testament to its market leadership and the growing demand for digital services across Africa. This success has driven the company’s market capitalisation to over R150 billion, solidifying its position as one of the continent’s most valuable companies.

Across Africa, MTN connects millions, empowering them with essential communication tools and access to vital services. More than 149 million people rely on MTN’s network for data access, fuelling a digital transformation that is reshaping industries and societies. Additionally, MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) provides over 65 million individuals with access to financial services, driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved communities.

MTN’s commitment to socio-economic development is evident everywhere. In 2023, the Group’s total tax contribution to governments across markets was nearly R62 billion (over US$3.3 billion), supporting vital public services and infrastructure development. MTN’s operations also generated some R159 billion in economic value, creating jobs, stimulating economic activity, and fostering digital innovation.

From the outset, the Group has been driven to make a social impact. Launched in 2001, the first MTN Foundation had an annual budget of R22 million. In 2023, MTN spent ten times that – R220 million – in corporate social responsibility across markets, with a special focus on developing digital skills to enable the digital economy.

Furthermore, both MTN Group and MTN South Africa have achieved Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment status, underscoring their commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social transformation.

MTN’s dedication to giving back is embodied in the annual “21 Days of Y’ello Care” initiative, which has been extended to 30 days this year to commemorate the 30th anniversary. Kicking off on 01 June 2024 under the theme “Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow: Education for Rural and Remote Communities,” this initiative mobilises MTN employees across the continent to dedicate their time and resources to enhance educational opportunities. This year, the focus is on bridging the educational divide in rural and remote areas, providing digital learning tools, and supporting educational infrastructure to empower the next generation of leaders within these communities.

MTN’s 30-year journey is a testament to the transformative power of technology and the unwavering spirit of innovation. Looking to the future, MTN remains dedicated to bridging the digital divide, empowering individuals and communities, and driving Africa’s sustainable and inclusive progress through cutting-edge digital solutions.

MTN Group is pleased to announce senior leadership appointments to operating companies in Nigeria, Iran and Sudan, all of them internal candidates, as we focus on executing on our strategy to drive growth, de-leverage faster and reveal value in our fintech and fibre businesses. The appointments are effective 1 April 2022.

“A vital enabler of our strategy is having the best talent, culture and future-fit skills,” says MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the depth of talent within the Group, as well as the strength of our succession planning.”

Following the recent appointment of MTN Nigeria Chief Operating Officer Mazen Mroue as MTN Group Chief Information and Technology Officer, Hassan Jaber assumes the COO role at MTN Nigeria. He moves from MTN Irancell, where he serves as COO, bringing with him some 25 years of telecoms and digital experience within the MTN Group.

Jaber’s track record of building and scaling-up telecom operations and developing digital businesses through the power of mobile technology will be instrumental to MTN Nigeria as it plays its part in delivering on the Group’s strategic intent of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. He has served MTN in numerous markets, including Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen.

Malik Melamu, with over 28 years of managerial and executive experience, will assume the position of MTN Irancell COO, joining from MTN Sudan where he has been  CEO over the last five years. Among other roles at MTN, he previously served as MTN Benin CEO and as Executive for Sales and Distribution and Customer Experience at MTN Group.

Stepping into the CEO role at MTN Sudan is Ziad Sabah, whose career within MTN spans more than a decade, most recently as MTN Syria CEO and before that as the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Syria. Ziad is a seasoned business leader and will play a pivotal role in strengthening MTN Sudan’s market position through initiatives to advance digital and financial inclusion. 

“These appointments demonstrate the depth of leadership bench-strength within the MTN Group, and we remain focused on delivering sustainable growth to our stakeholders. Nigeria, Iran and Sudan are markets with attractive demographics and tremendous potential growth opportunities for digital and financial inclusion,” concludes Mupita.

MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita has paid a day’s working visit to Ghana to engage with some key stakeholders and reiterate MTN’s commitment to support the further development of the Ghanaian telecommunications sector and work towards greater financial inclusion.

On Wednesday, the Group CEO and his team of executives paid courtesy calls on the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Ministry of Finance to interact and discuss issues of mutual interest, including localisation.

During the visit to the Bank of Ghana, Mr. Mupita expressed his appreciation for the Bank’s support over the years. Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison congratulated MTN for the work done in the mobile financial services sector and indicated that the Bank was counting on MTN to continue to champion innovation and financial inclusion. Dr Addison was joined by the Second Deputy Governor Mrs Elsie Addo Awadzi.

The MTN delegation then called on the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority Mr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and his deputies where Mr. Mupita commended Ghana for encouraging economic growth last year. 

In his engagements with the Ministry for Finance, Mr. Mupita reiterated MTN Group’s continued support to the Government of Ghana in achieving its digital agenda.

This is the third visit of the Group CEO to Ghana since he assumed office in September 2020. He is accompanied by the MTN Group Senior Vice President of Markets Ebenezer Asante, MTN Ghana CEO Selorm Adadevoh, CEO of Mobile Money Ltd Eli Hini, MTN Ghana Chief Corporate Services Officer Sam Koranteng and MTN Ghana Chief Financial Officer Antoinette Kwofie.

The visit to Ghana is part of Mr. Mupita’s regular engagements with local authorities in priority markets. He calls on key stakeholders early every year to revisit the Group’s commitments, understand their expectations and foster cordial working relationships. His next stop is Nigeria.

MTN Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Eliane Houphouet-Boigny as the CEO of MTN Guinea-Bissau, effective 1 July 2021, the latest woman to take the helm at an MTN operation.

“I would like to welcome Eliane to the MTN family and look forward to her taking MTN Guinea-Bissau to new heights, as we work to lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita.

Eliane is a seasoned professional with a career spanning more than 20 years, and experience across multiple markets in Europe and Africa. Most recently, she held several leadership roles at Nestlé, including Head of Innovation, Head of Business Transformation and Head of Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement.

Eliane holds two Master’s degrees, one in Chemical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Switzerland) and another in Strategic Management from HEC School of Management in Paris.

She takes over the reins from Freddie Mokoena, who has been CEO of MTN Guinea-Bissau since September 2013.

‘I’d like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Freddie. He has done an amazing job in leading the team over the past 8 years. Freddie steered the team through a period of amazing growth, and I am deeply thankful for his invaluable guidance and contribution to MTN,’ said Mupita.

MTN has been present in Guinea-Bissau since 2005 and has around 900 000 subscribers.

MTN Group today announced the appointment of Chika Ekeji as Executive: Strategy and Transformation as part of plans to further bolster management capacity to accelerate the Group’s strategic ambitions.

Effective 15 March 2021, Chika joins Africa’s leading mobile operator from management consultancy McKinsey & Company in Nigeria, where he led the West Africa Digital Practice and served telco, financial services, and public sector clients across Africa.

“We are very pleased that Chika is joining us as we work to accelerate our strategic repositioning,” said MTN Group Chief Operating Officer Jens Schulte-Bockum.

A Nigerian-American national, Chika has a Masters of Engineering in Computer Science from Cornell University and an MBA from MIT. In his new role he will be based in South Africa.

In December 2020, MTN Group announced the completion of a comprehensive strategy review with a focus on accelerating growth, deleveraging the holding company debt and unlocking value.

To support the execution of the repositioned strategy, we announced the appointment of a new Group Chief Financial Officer as well as changes to the Group’s regional structure and the Group Executive Committee.

The revised strategy will be presented in more detail after the release of 2020 full-year results on 10 March.

MTN announced on Friday that it has completed a comprehensive review of the Group strategy with a focus on accelerating growth, deleveraging the holding company debt and unlocking value. The revised strategy will be presented in more detail following the release of MTN’s 2020 full-year results in March 2021.

To support the Group’s strategy execution, MTN Group announced the appointment of a new Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO) as well as changes to the Company’s regional structure and the Group Exco.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Tsholofelo Molefe as the new GCFO. Tsholofelo (51) will take up the position as soon as practically possible in 2021, but by no later than 1 October 2021.

She is a qualified chartered accountant, CA(SA), and brings deep financial, risk and telecommunications experience. As Telkom’s GCFO since 2018, as well as its Chief Risk Officer and Deputy CFO prior to that, Tsholofelo played a key role in the strategic transformation programmes at Telkom.

Prior to working at Telkom, Tsholofelo was the Finance Director at Eskom as well as the CFO for First National Bank’s Personal Banking division. She is also a Non-executive Director on the board of Curro Holdings.

Tsholofelo will also join the Group board and take over from Sugentharan Perumal who has been acting in the position of GCFO since 1 September 2020.

“We are thrilled to have an executive of Tsholofelo’s stature join us,” said MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita. “The board is confident that she has the experience required for the position. She will play a critical role in the growth of the business and unlocking of shareholder value.”

Changes to the regional structure and the Group Exco

Effective 1 January 2021, MTN Ghana will become part of the Group’s West and Central Africa (WECA) region, a natural fit due to its geographic location in the region. From that date, MTN’s Southern and East Africa and Ghana (SEAGHA) region will be known as the Southern and East Africa (SEA) region.

Ebenezer Asante, the SEAGHA Vice President since 2017, will become the new WECA Vice President, and Yolanda Cuba, the Group’s Chief Digital and Fintech Officer, will take the helm as the SEA Vice President.

Ebenezer, 52, joined MTN in 2008 and is a highly experienced executive who has held senior positions in the Group, including CEO of MTN Ghana and CEO of MTN Rwanda. He is also a board member on a number of companies within the Group.

Yolanda, 43, joined MTN in January 2020. Prior to that she was Vodacom’s Chief Officer of Strategy and M&A and CEO of Vodafone Ghana, which saw her named telecom CEO of the year in 2018.

The SEA region is critical to MTN’s growth ambitions and presents a good opportunity for growth in mobile financial services. It also has the largest potential for further expansion. With her extensive experience in telecoms and finance, Yolanda will play a key role in driving growth and strategic progress in the region.

Serigne Dioum, Group Executive for Mobile Financial Services, will join the Exco as the Group Chief Digital and Fintech Officer. Serigne, 46, joined MTN in 2009 and has an established track record in the telecoms sector, with strong experience in mobile financial services (MFS).

Before joining MTN, he held senior positions in MFS, operational marketing, value-added services and data at Orange. Serigne is highly qualified and experienced to drive digital innovation and financial inclusion as well as build and scale these platforms as part of MTN’s growth strategy.

Kholekile Ndamase, Group Executive for Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), will assume the new Exco role of Group Chief M&A and Business Development Officer. Kholekile, 40, joined MTN in 2016 from RMB, where he led the equity-based financing business and was responsible for financing solutions and M&A execution.

Kholekile’s experience and leadership capacity is important to the group’s portfolio optimisation drive, itself key to the strategy. This includes the asset realisation programme, which aims to reduce debt, simplify the portfolio, reduce risk, improve returns and take advantage of expansion opportunities.

These executive changes follow those announced in October: Karl Toriola as CEO designate of MTN Nigeria and Ferdi Moolman’s appointment to the new exco role of Group Chief Risk Officer. Both are effective from 1 March 2021.

Commenting on the latest appointments, Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita said: “We are excited about our journey of growth and it is important to ensure that the management capacity is in place to sustain and accelerate our key strategic ambitions. Today’s appointments follow the recent management announcement we made on the 26th of October and continues the process of further deepening the skills and experience required to lead the Group’s ambitious drive into the future.”

 “Not only do these appointments safeguard continuity in the growth of our leading and scale connectivity business on the African continent, but, importantly, also support the acceleration of our digital platforms, de-risking of the business and unlocking of value. I am also particularly pleased with our continued steady progress in adding to the representation of women in our senior leadership team, which underlines MTN’s strategic focus on diversity and inclusion.”

 “I look forward to the contribution of the appointed executives in driving the company forward,” he concluded.

The Group Exco will be as follows: 

MTN Group on Monday announced two important new appointments: that of chief executive officer of major subsidiary MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and that of MTN Group chief risk officer, a new group executive committee (exco) position. Both are effective from 1 March 2021.

Karl Toriola, current vice president for MTN Group’s West and Central Africa (WECA) region, will take over as MTN Nigeria CEO from Ferdi Moolman, who has served MTN Nigeria with distinction in this role for the past five years. Ferdi will return to South Africa, where he will assume the new role of group chief risk officer.

Karl has a BSc Hons in Electronic and Electrical Engineering and a MSc in Communication Systems. Ferdi has a BCom and BCompt. He is a CA(SA). Both will remain members of the group’s exco.

Ferdi Moolman appointed as the new MTN Group chief risk officer

Ferdi (57) joined MTN in 2002 and has held several senior positions within the group in Nigeria and in Iran. He has spent the past five years as the CEO of MTN Nigeria and, as its CFO prior to that. During that time, significant progress has been made in stabilising the business and setting it on a sustainable growth path.

The management of enterprise-wide risk is integral to MTN’s growth strategy and Ferdi will bring extensive operational and financial experience to the role given his deep knowledge of the MTN Group, its markets and the telecoms sector. Ferdi will remain on the board of MTN Nigeria and will in due course be appointed to other material subsidiary boards given his new group responsibility.

Karl Toriola appointed as the new MTN Nigeria CEO

In his five years as VP of MTN’s WECA region, Karl has overseen the steady progress of the operating companies in the region, notably the turnaround of MTN Ivory Coast and MTN Cameroon over the past two years.

In addition, the WECA markets have made significant commercial and strategic strides, including the improvement of market share and the development of mobile financial services. The latter in particular is an important driver of the group’s medium- to long-term growth strategy.

Since joining the group in 2006, Karl (48) has also held a number of senior operational roles at MTN, including chief technical officer of MTN Nigeria and CEO of MTN Cameroon. He is also a board member on a number of companies within the group, including MTN Nigeria. Karl’s successor as VP for WECA will be announced after the group strategy review is completed by the end of November 2020.

Exemplary leadership, extensive experience

“Karl brings extensive technical and commercial experience, as well as a deep understanding of the Nigeria market to the role,” commented MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita. “Karl started his MTN career in his home country at MTN Nigeria 14 years’ ago and has all the attributes necessary to lead this very important business into the future.”

 “Ferdi has been an exemplary leader of MTN Nigeria and has put the business on a sound growth platform for the future,” said Mupita. “He brings significant strategic, financial and operational experience to the new group risk role, where we want to ensure that our enterprise-wide risk management systems are continuously strengthened and remain resilient as we drive our growth strategy.”

MTN Group owns 78,8% of MTN Nigeria, which is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and contributes around a third to the group’s service revenue.