Telecom
Nigeria, Ghana Markets Boost MTN’s Half Year Results
Half-yearly results issued by MTN yesterday show an improved performance in constant currency over the six months to 30 June 2018, with stand-out performances by Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.
The mobile operator managed to grow its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) by 38,6% year‐on‐year (YoY) in Nigeria during the second quarter and by 8,6% YoY in South Africa, while Ghana’s EBITDA increased by 13,6% in the same period.
Rob Shuter, CEO and President of the MTN Group said the three countries led a generally positive performance by the company over the interim period.
“MTN had an encouraging first half of 2018, with an acceleration in the second quarter, supported by an improved operational performance across many markets. This was led by Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. Service revenue growth increased, driven by robust voice revenue growth and the continued expansion of data and digital revenue.
This in turn was supported by a 2,8% increase in subscriber numbers, continued network rollout, increasing 3G and 4G population coverage and improving customer service.”
He added that the company resolved key regulatory issues in Cameroon and Benin, in addition to launching the initial public offering (IPO) of MTN Ghana and is making progress on the IPO of MTN Nigeria.
“As part of our ongoing portfolio review, we agreed to the sale of MTN Cyprus. In the period, we further strengthened our governance of risk, continued to boost our specialist skills base, recorded improvements in employee engagement and extended mobile internet access to more people.”
MTN reports a growth in group service revenue of 10,2% in constant currency terms led by growth of 17,0% by MTN Nigeria, 27,9% by MTN Ghana and 2,9% by MTN South Africa, while MTN Cameroon and MTN Ivory Coast reported declines.
MTN Cameroon registered a 7% decline in service revenue as the subscriber base tumbled by 5.9% to 6.6 million since December 2017. In Ivory Coast the decline in service revenue was 6.6% due weak voice revenue, according to the telco.
Shuter also points that the telco is on track to payout a dividend at the end of the financial year despite problems in securing profit in MTN Irancell, where sanctions remain in place.
The US announced its decision to re‐impose economic sanctions against Iran in May and the first round of these sanctions became effective on 7 August 2018 while a second phase is expected to be effective from 5 November 2018.
“Despite continued challenges in repatriating funds from MTN Irancell, the board remains committed to plans to declare a total dividend of 500 cents per share for 2018 and is targeting growth of 10% to 20% over the medium term. We believe everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life and see opportunity to provide this. We are confident that MTN remains well placed to deliver on our medium‐term guidance.”
The interim results also show that MTN Group subscriber numbers now stand at 223,4 million compared to 217,2 million at the end of 2017. The Group has now amassed 71,2 million active data users across all its markets while MTN Mobile Money customers remain just below 25 million at 24,1 million.
Airtel Africa reported a profit after tax of $376 million for the half year ended September 30, 2025 as compared to $79 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, benefitting from a $90 million gain largely arising from Nigerian naira appreciation during the current quarter (Q2’26) and the Central African franc (CFA) appreciation during the previous quarter (Q1’26).
Revenues at $2,982 million for the reported period saw strong growth as compared to $2,370 million in the six months of the last fiscal, rising 24.5% in constant currency and 25.8% in reported currency.
The company said constant currency revenue growth reflects the consistent execution of its strategy, supported by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and continued strong growth momentum in Francophone Africa.
“Our strategy has been focussed on providing a superior customer experience and the strength of these results is testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business,” Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of the company said in a statement.
He said the company has been scaling the network to build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion.
“The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Taldar said.
Capex for the period stood at $318 million. “We have increased our capex guidance for FY’26 to between $875m and $900m – from ‘between $725 million and $750 million’.
This reflects our decision to accelerate our ability to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity that is available across the region, as is reflected by these strong H1’26 results,” the company said.
During the period, the company continued investments in network with the rollout of over 2,350 new sites to over 38,300 sites and an expansion of its fibre network by approx. 4,000 kms to over 81,000 kms.
Vitel Wireless Limited, a GSM second level operator, licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to begin nationwide operations on October 30.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Themed “Blue is Here,” the launch event will unveil E-SIMs, physical SIMs, and smart connectivity solutions for individuals and businesses
With the tagline “Everything Connected,” Vitel aims to redefine communication in Nigeria through innovation, speed, and trust.
In a statement earlier, Vitel Wireless, said it combines reliability with innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless connectivity and intelligent solutions across the country.
“The company’s services go beyond communication — they integrate safety, mobility, and smart systems to enhance how individuals, businesses, and communities connect,” the statement reads.
According to Engr Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman, Vitel Wireless, at the heart of the telco’s mission is a bold vision to redefine mobile communication through technology that not only connects people but also protects them.
He highlighted the features saying the device is embedded with IoT-driven devices, smart logistics solutions and AI-powered safety analytics.
“Vitel Wireless is more than a telecom brand — it’s a movement toward a smarter, safer, and more connected Nigeria. Our goal is to bridge technology and humanity, using mobile innovation to improve lives, empower businesses, and strengthen national security,” Engr. Nwabueze said.
He stated that the Vitel Wireless team has interconnected with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and has a roaming agreement with MTN for nationwide rollout, extending Vitel Wireless coverage as one of the largest networks in Nigeria.
“Vitel Wireless has partnered with NCC and various law enforcement agencies to define and support key regulatory frameworks that now govern the nation’s telecom space in personal and public safety,” he said.
He added that the value added service includes Xphone -free phone calls and low international calling rates, SecureMe -location awareness solution for personal safety, Oga-App -employment enhancement and performance tool, ISEEYOU -AI-based CCTV with real-time alerts, AssetNow -LBS/GPS-based asset tracker, and many more.
“Vitel Wireless’s nationwide rollout signals a new era for the telecom industry — one where connectivity meets intelligence, and technology serves both purpose and people,” Nwabueze added.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in collaboration with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has announced the shortlist of 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at fostering home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, community conservation, and sustainability.
According to a joint statement by the organisers, the top 100 were selected from a pool of 2,169 applications received nationwide. The selection process involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by 20 expert assessors, guided by a robust framework to ensure fairness and consistency.
“The shortlisted innovators represent the brightest minds committed to environmental resilience,” the statement read. “Their solutions span high-impact sectors and are designed to address both national and continental environmental issues.”
The PachiPanda programme offers participants access to mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and a network of industry experts. The next phase will see a further evaluation to determine the Top 10 finalists, who will be unveiled ahead of a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass event scheduled for November 2025 in Lagos.
During the event, finalists will undergo intensive training to refine their business strategies and enhance their solutions for broader impact. Winners of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge will advance to the continental Africa PachiPanda Contest, where they will compete with other national champions.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the programme underscores MTN Nigeria’s commitment to eco-entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, empowering youth-led enterprises to drive green innovation across Africa.
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