Telecom
MTN Foundation Crosses ₦32Bn Milestone in Social Investments
MTN Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to driving sustainable development across Nigeria, announcing that its social investments have now exceeded N32bn in the past 20 years, impacting over 3,500 communities in 570 local government areas across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
L-R: Yemi Adebayo, Reporter, AIT and Fellow, MTN Media Innovation Program (MIP) Cohort 4; Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director, MTN Foundation; Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, Programs Administrator, Professional Education, School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University and Blessings Mosugu, Reporter, News Central TV and Fellow, MTN MIP Cohort 4, during the June session of the MTN Media Innovation Program (MIP) Cohort 4, held at the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki on Monday, June 23, 2025.
The announcement was made by the Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, during an engagement with Fellows of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) in Lagos. The MTN MIP, a 6-week-long programme spread across six months for media practitioners in Nigeria, serves as a platform for media professionals to enhance their influence and impact through education and capacity building.
One of the highlights of the programme is training sessions led by executives within MTN’s ecosystem. These sessions provide participants with practical, real-life examples and case studies of successful initiatives, equipping them with valuable insights and strategies to enhance their professional careers.
Speaking on the Foundation’s guiding philosophy, Sanya emphasised that MTN’s success as a business is intrinsically linked to the prosperity of the communities it serves. “We can only do well as a group to the extent that the communities that we serve do well. If the communities we operate in are not thriving, it will inevitably affect our business,” she said.
While many view connectivity in terms of data, voice, and digital services, Sanya noted that MTN’s vision of connectivity goes further, enabling real change, connecting people to possibilities, and empowering them to achieve their aspirations. “But for us, that connectivity is a reality that we are in a very privileged position to create change, to connect people to their possibilities, and just enable them to grab their aspirations,” she added.
The Foundation’s mission, she explained, is to consistently enhance the well-being of Nigerian communities by fostering investment, collaboration, and partnerships. Its core focus areas are capacity building, health, and economic empowerment. “When we talk about capacity building, it’s about scaling up, retooling, and education. Anything that helps people build their capacity,” Sanya explained.
Addressing the Foundation’s focus on health, Sanya pointed out that while many corporate foundations restrict their activities to their core business areas, MTN Foundation’s approach is driven by national need. “For us, it’s about what can move the needle for us as a nation and as individuals. That’s why we invest in health, capacity building, and economic empowerment, regardless of whether it directly relates to technology,” she said.
“All of the Foundation’s interventions are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Nigeria’s national priorities, and MTN’s own objective of making a positive impact in communities.”
Since its inception in 2004, the MTN Foundation has invested over N32 billion, reaching more than 3,500 communities in 570 local government areas across the country. According to Sanya, the Foundation has directly impacted around 33 million Nigerians, with advocacy and awareness programmes extending its indirect reach to over 90 million people nationwide.
Focusing on the MIP initiative, Sanya stressed that while the programme provides tools, knowledge and exposure, the real measure lies in their application. “Nothing empowers like yourself. The real change begins when our media professionals take what they’ve learned and apply it meaningfully. Without that, knowledge becomes stagnant.”
She further highlighted the competitive selection process, reminding participants of the honour of being selected for the programme. “Thousands applied, and you are among the few here. That shows you have something special. The next step is to pay it forward through ethical journalism and commitment to nation-building.”
Echoing this sentiment, President of the MIP Cohort 4, Mr Yemi Adebayo, described the programme as “life-changing.” After three years of attempting to gain admission, Adebayo expressed his satisfaction at finally being part of the experience.
“It goes beyond journalism,” he said. “It equips us with leadership, branding and life skills that many in our field rarely encounter. Every journalist should aspire to this level of exposure.”
MTN Nigeria is accelerating investments in network expansion and modernization to address rising demand for mobile and data services across the country.
The operator is deploying additional base stations, upgrading existing infrastructure, and expanding fiber connectivity to improve network capacity, coverage, and service quality.
The investments are designed to support increasing smartphone adoption, higher data consumption, and the growing use of digital services by consumers and businesses.
MTN said the expansion aligns with its long-term strategy to enhance customer experience while strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The company expects the ongoing upgrades to improve connectivity, support economic growth, and enable broader access to reliable telecommunications services as demand for high-speed broadband continues to increase.
Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar, has announced the telco’s commitment to connecting 5,000 schools across its operating countries in Africa to the internet by 2027 through its philanthropic arm, Airtel Africa Foundation, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
So far, the $57m partnership, which was launched in 2021, has cumulatively connected 3,296 schools and provided access to over 2 million learners and about 40,000 teachers. 64 digital learning platforms have been zero-rated thereby enabling more than 11m users to access educational content at no cost.
Speaking during a visit to St. Monica’s Girls School in Lusaka, which is one of the 300 schools already connected to the internet in Zambia, the Airtel Africa CEO stated that the initiative is having a profound impact on the quality of education by expanding access to digital learning resources for African children, in collaboration with governments.
Mr Taldar added: “Students are accessing best-in-class education from the curriculum developed by UNICEF in partnership with various Ministries of Education and provided through Airtel’s connectivity.
“We are also training teachers, so that they deliver digital education effectively. We aim to continue deepening meaningful connectivity in schools by providing free internet access, zero‑rated platforms and training teachers across the continent”.
Expressing her appreciation, the Headmistress of St. Monica’s Girls’ School, Sr Matilda Soloko said: “Being among the first schools connected in the initial stage, our learners have been able to study using the learning portal and their studies have been intensified. We remain grateful to Airtel and UNICEF.”
UNICEF’s Country Representative for Zambia, Dr Saja Farooq Abdullah said: “What this partnership has brought is really bridging the equality gap and the digital divide. It is making sure that every child learns wherever they are. It was exciting and interesting to see and hear from the girls how they can learn at their own pace, how they can review the materials, and how they do their homework with comfort.
The Director of Secondary Education in Zambia’s Ministry of Education, Yvonne Mwemba Chuulu lauded UNICEF and Airtel for the partnership saying: “At the Ministry of Education, we cannot do it alone, and we are grateful for the partnership that we have today.
“Our children are able to learn in a blended fashion, where we have a teacher who is also employing digital devices. We have also heard from the learners that they are able to access the portal when they are at home, which is a good thing because our learners continue to learn in the comfort of their homes”.
The School Connection programme is expanding digital learning to learners in 13 countries: Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. By equipping these schools with internet connectivity and training teachers on using the digital tools, it is providing children, particularly in underserved and remote regions, with the digital tools and skills they need to thrive.
Airtel Africa Foundation is advancing inclusive development across four strategic pillars, Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Inclusion.
MultiChoice has officially become a wholly owned subsidiary of French media company Canal+, marking the completion of one of the largest acquisitions in Africa’s media and entertainment industry.
The integration brings the South Africa-based pay television operator under the full ownership of Canal+, a global media group with operations in 70 countries.
Announcing the completion of the transaction on Thursday, Chief Executive Officer of Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice, David Mignot, described the development as the beginning of a new phase of growth for the broadcaster.
“MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries.
“The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries,” Mignot said.
The acquisition combines Canal+’s international operations with MultiChoice’s extensive footprint across sub-Saharan Africa, where it serves millions of households through its DStv and GOtv platforms, as well as the Showmax streaming service.
According to Canal+, the integration will strengthen MultiChoice’s competitive position by giving it access to broader financial resources, technology, content partnerships and operational expertise.
The company said the combined business would increase investment in local content production, sports broadcasting and streaming services as competition intensifies from global platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
The transaction is also expected to provide MultiChoice with greater access to international markets at a time when traditional pay television operators are adapting to changing consumer viewing habits and the rapid growth of digital streaming platforms.
Canal+ has expanded steadily across Africa over the past decade and now assumes full control of a business operating in more than 45 African countries, further strengthening its position in the continent’s media and entertainment sector.
The acquisition followed Canal+’s gradual increase in its shareholding in MultiChoice, which began in 2024.
After exceeding the regulatory threshold, the company launched a mandatory offer in April 2024 to acquire the remaining shares of the Johannesburg-listed broadcaster.
Following regulatory approvals and shareholder acceptance, Canal+ secured control of MultiChoice in 2025 before completing the process that has now made the company a wholly owned subsidiary.
Industry observers describe the acquisition as one of the most significant media transactions involving an African company, reflecting a broader trend of consolidation as global entertainment firms seek greater scale to compete in the streaming era.
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