Telecom
When Will Enough be Enough for MTN Nigeria? — By Olayiwola Luqman, FCA
The history of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (MTN Nigeria) is replete with controversies and litigation unlike other players in the telecom sector. Some might argue MTN’s size naturally attracts its issues. This would, however, be too easy a way out of truly analyzing its issues.
Others would argue upon review, that it is more about its attitude to Nigeria and Nigerians, in other words, the Big Man syndrome, that is the catalyst for its issues. Since inception, MTN has hobbled from issue to issue. It has won some, lost others and settled some.
The company seems to relish in courting what many refer to as ‘needless controversies’, the outcome of which is the toga of arrogance that it adorns in seeking positions only beneficial to itself and seemingly disregarding government and regulatory positions, the impact of its actions on Nigeria and Nigerians as well as other non-altruistic positions.
One may strive to seek to understand a start-up company’s choice of courting controversies as a means of creating awareness and corporate presence but for a company like MTN Nigeria that is about to celebrate its silver jubilee, one would have thought that it should be weary of unnecessary controversies. This is, however, not the story of MTN Nigeria, unfortunately.
Currently, the company is in a court battle instituted against it, its business partner, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited (ATC Nigeria), and three other bodies, by the Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resources Centre (HEDA) over the construction of 2,500 base trans-receiver stations across Nigeria for MTN’s operations. HEDA a civil society group, has gone to court to stop MTN Nigeria and ATC Nigeria from siting new base stations where there are already existing base stations citing health and environmental concerns. The case with suit No: FHC/L/CS/2359/2023, was filed in the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, on 20 November 2023 and is still pending before the court.
In October 2015, MTN Nigeria’s arrogance and disregard of the country’s laws got it enmeshed in a regulatory quagmire resulting to a fine of N1.04 trillion (about $5.2 billion) against it, for the failure to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered subscribers from its network. Its imprudence did not end there but extended to the point where it was alleged to have bribed a senior government official so the fine could be reduced.
In yet another instance, MTN Nigeria shunned Nigerians’ calls for the adoption of per-second billing as its sister subsidiaries in other climes deployed and kept insisting, for many years, that such deployment was impracticable in Nigeria. The fleecing of Nigerians by MTN Nigeria continued until Glo Mobile debunked MTN Nigeria’s denials in 2003 and debuted with per-second billing. Even when the industry regulator, NCC insisted that it deploy per-second billing, MTN Nigeria was reluctant in its compliance and went so far as to illegally charge subscribers who wanted to migrate to that platform the sum of N100 each.
A look at MTN Nigeria’s over two-decade operations in Nigeria also reveals a series of corporate governance issues, including tax defaults, illegal repatriations of profits and other corporate vices. In 2018, the Federal Government, following a ten-year “revenue assets investigation” conducted between 2007 and 2017, accused MTN Nigeria of having some liabilities which included alleged unpaid/underpaid import duties of about N242.25 billion as well as withholding and value-added taxes of about $1.3 billion. Last year, a tax appeal tribunal sitting in Lagos ordered MTN Nigeria to pay $72,551,059 in tax default to the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS).
What beats most people’s imaginations is that while other subsidiaries in the MTN Group operating in other markets have had issues (Iran and Afghanistan come to mind with the very serious allegations against them), they largely seem to be responsible corporate citizens in their countries of operation. MTN Nigeria, on the other hand, tends to be roguish and more hawkish in its operations. Its services are poor, yet they appear the most expensive in Nigeria.
These issues could only be as a result of arrogance believing that, by appointing eminent Nigerians who have headed regulatory bodies with oversight over its activities to the Board of Directors of the company, it would always be able to bulldoze its path by way of influence peddling through any regulatory issue. It is worthy of note that some notable civil society groups in the country have petitioned the relevant regulatory agencies to investigate these Board appointments, citing corporate governance as well as conflict of interest issues.
The company needs to reevaluate its operations in the country with a view to respecting the law and regulatory authorities as well as having more regard for Nigerians, whose patronage earns it the position of the largest revenue earner in the MTN Group. Nigerians deserve a better deal with MTN Nigeria and the Nigerian government is supposed to stand up and ensure that this happens by insisting on good corporate governance, without being swayed or intimidated by the company or the people that sit on its board.
– Olayiwola Luqman, FCA. Business analyst, writes from Lagos*
Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Nigeria, has marked International Volunteer Day 2025 by celebrating the impact of the Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), a flagship initiative by which employees volunteer their time, expertise, and personal resources to advancing the Foundation’s mission across 14 African markets.
The celebration brought together volunteers at the Airtel Nigeria Headquarters in Lagos for moments of team bonding activities, testimonials, and volunteer spotlights. The event also served as a call to action, encouraging more employees to register for EVP activities and join the volunteer community.
The EVP has become a cornerstone of Airtel Africa Foundation’s community impact, empowering employees to drive local CSR initiatives and champion causes that promote education, digital skills, environmental responsibility, and youth empowerment. Through the programme, volunteers have contributed significantly to initiatives such as the International Day of Education Essay Competition, Teacher-for-a-Day sessions, beach clean-ups, market sensitisation exercises to reduce plastic waste, and the Airtel-3MTT NextGen Fellowship for young Nigerians.
Speaking about the celebration, Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, said, “International Volunteer Day reminds us that real impact begins with people who are willing to show up and serve. Today we honour the incredible dedication of Airtel employees, whose selfless commitment of time and talent is the engine behind our progress. Their contribution is the backbone of our work and the reason we continue to transform communities across Africa.”
Over the years, the EVP in Nigeria has delivered tangible outcomes through numerous impactful initiatives such as financial donations to the Lagos State Government COVID-19 control efforts. In 2025 alone, volunteers have contributed more than 200 hours of service, reaching over 100,000 beneficiaries.
Commenting on the commitment of Airtel Nigeria’s employees, Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, said, “Volunteering is at the heart of who we are. Behind every empowered learner, every restored environment, and every connected community is an individual who believed in making a difference, and we are thankful for your participation. Our mission remains clear: to use technology, resources, and our collective humanity to build a digitally inclusive, socially responsible, and sustainable Africa.”
International Volunteer Day provides a global moment to honour volunteers whose contributions often go unseen but deliver lasting impact. As its EVP continues to grow, Airtel Africa Foundation remains committed to expanding access to education, digital literacy, environmental care, and opportunities for underserved communities across the continent.
Nigerian creators have emerged dominant at the 2025 TikTok Awards for Sub-Saharan Africa, winning six of the ten categories at the ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
TikTok Sub-Saharan Africa Awards
The awards, themed “New Era, New Icons”, celebrated outstanding creativity across the continent, with Nigeria’s victories underscoring its growing influence in digital culture and entertainment.
Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim, known as @diaryofanortherncook, from Sokoto, won the prestigious Creator of the Year Award, recognised for her cinematic storytelling of Northern Nigerian cuisine. Abuja-based Brian Nwana (@briannwana) clinched Storyteller of the Year, while Izzi Boye (@izziboye) was named Education Creator of the Year.
Other Nigerian winners included Belove Olocha (@beloveolocha) for Entertainment Creator of the Year, Dejoke Ogunbiyi (@noositiwantiwa_) for Social Impact Creator of the Year, and Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi (@theycallmeshallipopipp), who took home Artist of the Year.
Shallipopi, whose hit track “Laho” dominated African soundwaves in 2025, thanked TikTok for supporting upcoming artists and providing a platform to shine. “When Nigeria creates, the world moves,” he told fans during his acceptance speech.
TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, praised the winners, noting that Nigerian creators had redefined what it means to be a digital storyteller. “Tonight’s ceremony was a gathering of trailblazers who turned short video clips into cultural movements,” she said.
Other winners from across the continent included Tanzania’s Fanuel John Masamaki (@zerobrainer0), who won Video of the Year, Kenya’s @tunero_animations as Rising Star of the Year, South Africa’s @malumfoodie for Food Creator of the Year, and Kenya’s @zozasportscast for Sports Creator of the Year.
The ceremony, supported by brands such as NIVEA, Coca-Cola, PEP, inDrive and Dis-Chem, will be broadcast exclusively on TikTok LIVE on Dec. 11 at 19:00 WAT via the @tiktok.africa account.
MTN Nigeria has announced the winners of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge, a national innovation programme delivered in partnership with Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through its local partner, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria.
L – R: Promise Ogochukwu, OneGrid Energies; Emmanuel Ezea, OneGrid Energies, Lantana Elhassan, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, UNDP Nigeria; Valentine Nnamani, OneGrid Energies; trio winner of the MTN 2025 Pachipanda Challenge, held at MTN RoofTop Plaza, Ikoyi.
The competition attracted over 2000 applications from young innovators across the country and concluded with a 3-day sprint event that featured masterclasses and pitch presentations at the MTN Rooftop Event Centre, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos. Ten finalists, comprising seven individuals and three teams, competed for top honours following a rigorous multi-stage screening process.
Team OneGrid Energies emerged overall winner for its solution that addresses energy access in underserved communities. The team of Emmanuel Ezea, Ogochukwu Ogene, and Valentine Nnamani upcycle plastic bottles and e-waste lithium ion batteries to create affordable lanterns for households without reliable electricity. The team also introduced smart solar-powered charging stations operated by rural women, creating economic opportunities and supporting environmental impact.
Joshua Ndaman secured second place with his innovative solution, BuyScrap, a tech-driven platform that streamlines the collection and recycling of electronic waste. By ensuring that discarded electronics are ethically reused and repurposed, BuyScrap supports a circular economy and provides a reliable link between households and processors in the e-waste value chain.
Divine Peter secured third place with HopeForge Engineering, an initiative that designs and produces affordable recycling equipment for green businesses using recyclable materials. His focus on automating traditional manual equipment aims to increase productivity and make sustainable tools more accessible for small and medium-sized enterpriOlayinkases.
The winners received ₦3,000,000, ₦2,000,000, and ₦1,500,000 respectively. They will now represent Nigeria at the Africa PachiPanda Challenge where they will compete against champions from across the continent.
Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, emphasised the importance of youth-led innovation in advancing climate action and community resilience. “Innovation should go beyond solving problems; it should be bankable and sustainable, ensuring long-term value for both society and the innovators themselves,” he noted.
Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director-General of NCF, praised the creativity of the finalists, stating, “Every finalist here is a winner, and we will continue to work with partners like MTN, UNDP, and WWF to nurture these ideas and build a better future for Nigeria.”
Representing UNDP Nigeria, Lantana Elhassan, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, described the potential of the finalists’ solutions to inspire systemic change across Africa’s innovation landscape. She highlighted the role of tech tools in helping participants improve their prototypes and scale their solutions.
During the event week, finalists received tailored training through masterclass sessions that enhance their business skills and strengthened their solutions. Facilitators included Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC); Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder & CEO, Instollar; Nifemi Oluboyede, Chief Product Officer, Credit Direct; and Uche Aniche, Founder, Rebel Seed Capital & Convener, Startup South.
Judges comprised experts in sustainability and innovation including Dr. Tiwalade Adeniyi, Head of ESG, Solon; Dr. William Tsuma, Chief Innovation Officer, UNDP Nigeria; Maximus Ugwuoke, Country Director, Carbon Craft Africa; Peju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; Temitope Okunnu, Founder, Fabe International; and Yewande Adeyi, Senior Manager, ESG Advisory Services, KPMG West Africa.
The Africa-wide finals will bring together leading innovators from across the continent to showcase their work to industry experts and investors.
For more information and updates on the winners’ journey, visit https://www.mtn.ng/sustainability or contact [email protected]
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