Telecom
$1b Fine: MTN Set for Lagos IPO
In a bid to settle $1 billion fine imposed on it by Nigerian regulators in 2015, MTN Group Ltd, has started laying the groundwork for an initial public offering of its Nigerian business and should complete the process in the next six months.
Rob Shuter, Group President and CEO MTN said. “We have a lot of advisers running around getting everything ready,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Wednesday.
“It’s a complicated process and there’s a lot of regulation that needs to be arranged.
“We are moving forward well with the project and anticipate concluding that in the next six months or so.”
MTN agreed to the Lagos IPO as part of the settlement of a $1 billion fine imposed by Nigerian regulators on MTN in 2015.
Africa’s biggest wireless operator by sales incurred the penalty after missing a deadline to disconnect unregistered subscribers amid a security crackdown in the West African country.
Since then, the CEO said he’s been “pleased” with MTN’s operation in Nigeria, the biggest of the Johannesburg-based company’s 22 markets across Africa and the Middle East.
Shuter, 50, joined MTN in March after holding executive roles at Vodafone Group Plc in Europe.
He is the permanent replacement for Sifiso Dabengwa, who resigned after the Nigerian fine was imposed.
Chairman Phuthuma Nhleko had run the company in the interim period.
MTN’s two other main countries are Iran and South Africa.
In the former, Shuter said the company isn’t “holding back” on expansion plans even as U.S. President Donald Trump objects to the terms of a nuclear deal that led to the lifting of economic sanctions last year.
MTN has about 49.5 million customers in Iran, just under Nigeria’s 50.3 million and has repatriated almost $1 billion from the country in the last 12 months.
“We are putting a lot of investment into the ground in Irancell,” Shuter said. “There is a huge demand for mobile data there, its one of our fastest growing data markets. It is business as usual.”
MTN has no immediate plans to expand into new countries, and is instead focused on improving operations in existing markets, which include conflict areas such as Afghanistan and South Sudan, according to the CEO.
The company needs to “build what we need to and get our networks into shape,” Shuter said. “In months to come I think there will be an opportunity to participate in the consolidation of the market.”
MTN shares rose 0.2 percent to 122.96 rand as of 10:53 a.m. in Johannesburg, valuing the company at 231 billion rand ($16.3 billion).
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
Travel Saga is a story-driven, intricately connected role-playing game designed to provide the thrill, complexity, and competitive intensity of some of the most well-known action games in the world.
The game, which has been painstakingly optimized for mobile devices, redefines mobile gaming as a full-fledged digital battlefield by translating a console-grade experience onto data-enabled handsets.
Fundamentally, Travel Saga takes users on quick virtual journeys against recognizable international landscapes. In a dynamic, ever-evolving gaming environment, players are thrown into furious missions, fierce fights, and ever-expanding tales where talent, strategy, and endurance determine who rises through the ranks to become a true war hero.
In addition to the excitement of fighting, users are encouraged to go to various locations, take part in thrilling challenges, and participate in intense competition for in-app rewards like points and victory badges. With each encounter and accomplishment, the immersion increases with each level, maintaining momentum and excitement.
Flexible subscription plans with one-time or auto-renewal choices are available to subscribers for the service, which costs ₦100 per day and ₦250 per week. By dialing *70021#, customers can quickly subscribe and gain instant access to the action.
With Travel Saga, Glo reaffirms its dedication to innovation and high-end digital experiences, making top-notch gaming easily accessible to its customers. The game offers uninterrupted action, adventure, and competition, all smoothly supported by the Glo network.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
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