A team of board directors and executive committee members from MTN Nigeria have
been hosted by MTN group in Johannesburg for a strategy retreat.
Led by its chairman Ernest Ndukwe and CEO Karl Toriola, the MTN Nigeria
delegation, who is on a three-day working visit to South Africa, were met by the
MTN Group chairman Mcebisi Jonas and MTN Group President and Chief Executive
Officer, Ralph Mupita.
According to a statement issued on Thursday, this is the first time the
boards and executive management teams of MTN Nigeria and MTN Group have been brought
together under one roof by the Group to reflect on its strategic priorities for
the next three years.
The statement revealed that as part of its activities, MTN Group and MTN South
Africa held meeting engagements attended by South Africa’s Minister of
International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor and the Minister of Communications
and Digital Technologies Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, as well as by Nigeria’s High
Commissioner Muhammad Haruna Manta.
In his remarks, the chairman of MTN Group, Mcebisi Jonas, noted that strong
bi-national relationships between Nigeria and South Africa are critical for
Africa’s progress.
“As MTN, we appreciate that our own progress cannot happen without the
two nations building stronger and stronger ties and providing leadership to the
continent.”
He confirmed that MTN Nigeria was in good hands under the direction of
Chairman Ndukwe and CEO Toriola.
MTN Group President and CEO Ralph
Mupita also maintained that MTN Nigeria represents approximately 40% of the
value of MTN Group; as such, its achievements were critical to the success of the
Group.
“As MTN Group, we are committed to
supporting the business and ensuring that its success goes beyond just strong
operational and financial performance, but also represents success for all stakeholders,”
he said.
“Initiatives such as extending
rural broadband, driving financial inclusion from MTN Nigeria’s Payment
Services Banking license, and ensuring further localizations remain critical
for success and sustainability,” he added.
The MTN Nigeria leadership said that among the many discussions held in
Johannesburg were how to navigate the unprecedented macro challenges that
businesses across the world faced and look for the opportunities
that these changes provided.
The MTN
Nigeria leadership’s visit follows MTN Group’s Board of Directors and
Executive Committee to Lagos in early July when they held their strategy
retreat.
By: Kanto Okanta