Archives: Case Studies
MTN conducted a human rights risk assessment on Zigi, MTN Nigeria’s AI-enabled customer service chatbot, as part of its broader Responsible AI and digital human rights governance approach, guided at a high level by MTN’s BRAIN principles. The assessment was grounded in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and formed part of MTN’s standard AI risk management processes. Zigi supports customers with everyday interactions such as checking available offers, viewing balances, purchasing bundles and airtime, and connecting with a human agent when required. It is used for both transactional and non-transactional purposes and provides a convenient, remote alternative to in-store or call centre engagement, helping to reduce congestion in physical channels while improving service efficiency. The assessment focused on how Zigi could affect the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, privacy, consumer protection, and language and cultural identity.
What we did
MTN assessed both the potential benefits and risks of Zigi from a human rights perspective. The review recognised that digital chat solutions can expand access to information, reduce language barriers and enable more convenient access to services. It also considered risks such as the potential spread of incorrect information, biased or unfair outcomes in automated interactions, privacy and data protection concerns, and exposure to inappropriate content if safeguards were insufficient. To manage these risks, MTN strengthened controls around Zigi’s operation. The chatbot is being progressively enhanced to better reflect local languages, expressions and communication styles to ensure more natural and culturally appropriate engagement for Nigerian customers. All content prompts and responses are reviewed daily by human teams to ensure accuracy, reliability and alignment with MTN standards. Customer data processed through Zigi is anonymised and pseudonymised, with identification occurring only when customers log in through an authorised channel and limited to that session. Where Zigi cannot resolve a query, it is transferred to a human agent for appropriate support.
Outcomes and impact
The assessment improved MTN’s understanding of how AI-enabled customer service tools can affect people’s rights and informed the design of stronger safeguards. Zigi now operates as a complementary service channel alongside email and call centre support, enabling more efficient customer service while maintaining strong protections for customer rights, privacy and trust. The process also reinforced cross functional co-ordination between Digital, Legal, Risk, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs teams on AI-related decision making.
Lessons learnt
Human rights considerations need to be integrated early in the design and deployment of AI-enabled customer tools. Regular human oversight is essential to maintaining accuracy, trust and accountability. Localisation and cultural relevance are critical for inclusive digital services in linguistically diverse markets, and ongoing monitoring and iterative improvement are necessary to ensure AI-powered solutions remain aligned with MTN’s values and digital human rights commitments
MTN Uganda sought to deepen practical understanding of data protection responsibilities under Project Guardian. While policies were in place, the business recognised the need for stronger behavioural awareness and consistent application across employees and third parties. Rising data-privacy risks and evolving regulatory expectations made it important to position privacy as an everyday practice rather than a compliance exercise. Data Privacy Week provided an opportunity to strengthen a shared culture of accountability and reinforce legal and ethical responsibilities.
What we did
MTN Uganda delivered an interactive programme for employees and third-party partners. The week opened with leadership messages from the Managing Director and the CEO of MTN MoMo Uganda, reinforcing privacy as a core organisational value. An on-floor Privacy Pledge Wall invited employees from Technology and Mobile Money to share personal reflections on why privacy matters in their work. Staff wrote their experiences and commitments, creating a visible reminder of shared responsibility. A digital quiz tested knowledge on core concepts such as data breaches, lawful handling of personal information and internal response processes. The quiz attracted 217 employees, providing a practical way to assess understanding and highlight areas needing further support. To extend awareness across the supply chain, MTN Uganda hosted a virtual training session for more than 110 third-party providers, facilitated by the Personal Data Protection Office of Uganda. The session clarified roles, common compliance failures and lessons from regulatory cases. The week concluded with an interactive ‘Two Truths and a Lie: Data Privacy Edition’ activity to encourage discussion and critical thinking.
Outcomes and impact
The programme strengthened MTN Uganda’s privacy culture through leadership engagement, practical learning and active participation. Employees showed improved familiarity with data-protection principles, while strong participation in the quiz and pledge wall demonstrated internal commitment. Third-party providers gained clearer understanding of their legal responsibilities, supporting more consistent privacy practices across the ecosystem and bringing Project Guardian principles to life locally.
Lessons learnt
Participatory formats proved most effective in driving reflection and learning. Collaboration with the national Data Protection Office enhanced credibility and relevance. MTN Uganda will extend thematic activities throughout the year.
In 2025, MTN experienced a cybersecurity incident involving a legacy environment that had been scheduled for migration into the Group’s fully managed domain. Before the migration was completed, the environment was compromised, exposing a logging server receiving data from several operating companies. Although the number of affected customers was small, relative to MTN’s base of 300 million subscribers, the incident underscored the importance of accelerating the modernisation of legacy systems and maintaining stringent cybersecurity measures across our environment. MTN acted swiftly and transparently. Within 48 hours the compromised server had been identified, isolated and permanently removed from the network, eliminating immediate risk. MTN promptly notified all relevant regulators and directly informed every affected customer. In addition, MTN initiated a detailed review across all our markets. The assessment examined potential vulnerabilities, accelerated the migration of unmanaged environments and strengthened interim controls where full integration was not yet possible. This Group-wide review informed a two-year cybersecurity enhancement programme that will be completed in 2026.
Lessons learnt
The incident reinforced the importance of early detection, rapid containment and clear engagement with regulators and customers. It also highlighted the need to eliminate legacy vulnerabilities and ensure all systems are brought into the Group’s managed security environment. The experience strengthened MTN’s overall cyber maturity and sharpened its focus on continuous improvement.
Outlook
MTN will continue strengthening its security posture through the Group-wide enhancement programme and sustained monitoring of global threat developments. The Group will also track the evolving role of artificial intelligence in both cyber defence and cybercrime, guided by our Responsible AI Policy approved by the Ethics Subcommittee of the Board. Furthermore, we are reviewing security capabilities across all markets so they remain fit for purpose and aligned with international standards.
The challenge and what we wanted to achieve
Growing up in a farming community in Cameroon, Moses Afopezi repeatedly watched farmers lose up to 40% of their harvested produce within days because they did not have access to proper storage or reliable markets. These losses meant reduced income, food insecurity and avoidable waste,” he states.
Motivated by these lived experiences, Afopezi set out to create a solution. The long-term objective was to reduce post-harvest loss while improving farmer incomes, strengthening food security and restoring dignity within rural communities. His ambition aligns with MTN’s purpose of enabling the benefits of a modern connected life and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Zero Hunger, Decent Work and Economic Growth and Climate Action.
What he did
He co-founded AgricFresh, a tech-enabled platform that integrates solar-powered cold storage with improved farm management and enhanced market access. Building and deploying the solution, however, presented significant challenges. “The hardest part was developing affordable cold storage technology with limited resources and deploying it in the rural community with poor infrastructure,” he notes. “What kept us going was seeing farmers preserve their harvest longer, earn better incomes and regain dignity in their work.” Participation in the Africa PachiPanda Challenge provided critical incubation support, workshops and mentorship that helped strengthen the business and prepared it to scale.
Outcomes and impact
Through the Africa PachiPanda Challenge, AgricFresh achieved a step change in both operational maturity and visibility. Reflecting on the experience, Afopezi says: “The MTN PachiPanda experience helped us refine our business model, strengthen impact measurement and improve our scalability through workshops and incubation.” The programme’s exposure also unlocked further global recognition, including the Misk 20 Under 30 Global Award and the TIC Impact Award 2025 that AgricFresh received since.
The challenge and what we wanted to achieve
MTN’s commitment to achieving science-based targets for the reduction of GHG emissions means that we must understand our footprint with far greater accuracy and confidence than ever before. Following asset divestments and an operational boundary expansion to 40 entities, the spend-based method historically used for Scope 3 no longer reflected the scale and complexity of our value chain. We required a more granular, actionable and defensible Scope 3 inventory that Opcos could understand, trust and use to support decarbonisation.
What we did
MTN partnered with climate experts from KPMG, led by Abhay Misri and Nandita Dhoke, to redesign our Scope 3 approach in line with the GHG Protocol while reducing Opco burden and improving data quality under Ambition 2025 and SDG 13. As Dhoke noted, onboarding Scope 3 “is not something that has been done anywhere at a very large scale”, highlighting the ambition of the task.
Misri and Dhoke began by creating a structure that centred the human experience of data collection. Rather than overwhelming Opcos with numerous category specialists, they helped MTN group all reporting entities into four regional clusters, each supported by a dedicated KPMG cluster lead. These leads became familiar, reliable points of contact for busy Opco teams who “wear many hats.”
In parallel, they established a network of KPMG category specialists (SPOCs). These specialists were each responsible for the technical design and interpretation of one or two Scope 3 categories: purchased goods and services, waste, fuel-and-energy-related emissions and more.
Dhoke spent considerable time understanding the systems MTN already had in place. She worked closely with procurement, shared services and ESG teams to adapt templates so they aligned with existing workflows, rather than duplicating them. As she described: “We found our ways to make this exercise more efficient… trying to simplify it for ourselves and for the reporting entities.”
Misri led governance and delivery coordination, running working groups, facilitating training, engaging executives and ensuring that the technical work connected to a sustainable long-term process. Both worked weekly with KPMG’s Microsoft Sustainability Manager (MSM) technical team to configure Scope 3 ingestion categories and test the tool’s capabilities. Their approach was deliberately collaborative. Every template went through rounds of consultation with Opco functional leads; every assumption was debated; every data field had to be meaningful, not just compliant.
Outcomes and impact
The redesigned process led to meaningful operational improvements far beyond improved emissions accuracy. Cluster leads now give Opcos a single, trusted point of contact who guides them through data requirements. Category SPOCs offer deep technical expertise when needed, reducing confusion and strengthening the quality of information entering the system. Centralised procurement data is now extracted once and validated by relevant Opcos, significantly reducing work duplication. Waste data is being aligned across MTN’s ESG system and Scope 3 templates, meaning Opcos will only enter it once.
Scope 1 and 2 data is already captured through MSM and Scope 3 categories are being progressively configured and tested, laying the foundation for a consolidated, analytics-ready emissions platform. Over time, this will reduce reliance on hundreds of spreadsheets and allow for faster insights, trend analysis and scenario modelling. Perhaps the most significant impact is cultural. Through training, consultation and transparent problem-solving, Misri and Dhoke helped build climate literacy and trust at the Opco level. The goal was to ensure that Opcos are comfortable with the numbers they are reporting, a prerequisite for real decarbonisation decisions. The strengthened relationships, clearer processes and shared understanding now position MTN to take more confident steps into supplier engagement and science-based delivery.
Lessons learnt
For Misri and Dhoke, the MTN experience reinforced that the Scope 3 transformation is fundamentally human work. They learned that successful data processes must start with empathy for Opco realities – not with only focusing on what the GHG Protocol ideally demands. Clustering entities by geography, language and maturity helped provide tailored support and avoid overwhelming less-resourced markets.
Weekly collaboration with MSM technical teams showed that tools must create value for Opcos first if they are to be genuinely adopted. And integrating existing systems, instead of duplicating them, proved essential for building long-term sustainability into the process. Looking ahead, their focus shifts toward strengthening supplier data and improving the availability of supplier-specific emissions factors, building on the robust foundation now in place for Scope 3 management at MTN.
The challenge and what we wanted to achieve
As the MTN Group continued to advance its Project Zero ambitions, MTN South Africa took a leading role in demonstrating how large-scale renewable energy could be integrated into critical digital infrastructure. Through a major solar deployment initiative across its national data-centre footprint, the company realised that integrating solar at scale offered a practical way to cut Scope 2 emissions, stabilise power supply and support long-term operational resilience.
For Richard Nunes, General Manager, Network Implementation, it was a strategic opportunity to strengthen energy resilience while accelerating decarbonisation across one of the company’s most energy-intensive asset classes.
“At MTN, we’re not just enhancing our digital infrastructure; we’re intentionally building a future powered by sustainable energy,” Nunes noted. “Every step we take helps reduce our carbon footprint; strengthens the resilience of the communities we serve and ensures that the network we leave behind is better, cleaner and more responsible for the next generation.”
What we did
MTN South Africa launched a coordinated solar rollout across its national data-centre portfolio, selecting priority Data Centres for installation during 2025 to 2026. The Data Centres were prioritised for their energy intensity, exposure to grid instability and projected contribution to MTN Group’s SBTi-aligned decarbonisation pathway.
Nunes oversaw a multidisciplinary initiative that used detailed feasibility studies and engineering designs to ensure that each site could safely integrate large-scale solar systems.
Outcomes and impact
The final solution deployed 7 384 bi-facial solar panels and associated inverters, installed across rooftops, carports and ground-mount areas to optimise energy generation. Advanced monitoring, metering and control systems were implemented to manage site-level generation, grid fluctuations and diesel-backup interaction. Battery storage was not required because the data-centre load could absorb all solar production in real time, improving efficiency and reducing cost.
Once complete, the solar deployment is expected to deliver 4.5 MWp of installed capacity and generate approximately 7.6 GWh of clean energy annually. This will reduce MTN South Africa’s Scope 2 emissions by an estimated 7.9 ktCO₂e each year and decrease grid electricity usage at participating sites by 23%.
“We are strengthening operational resilience by reducing reliance on an unstable grid, lowering the risk of power-related disruptions and decreasing diesel dependence,” said Nunes. It also supports a shift in organisational practice, with MTN South Africa serving as a proof point for how renewable energy can be integrated into mission-critical digital infrastructure.
Teams involved in the rollout also gained experience in managing large-scale renewable installations. This strengthens MTN’s long-term capability to scale similar solutions across the Group. Further to this and in collaboration with our partners, we managed to deploy 50% of the sites within four months, further highlighting MTN’s capability to scale its operations to support ESG initiatives.
Lessons learnt
Some of the lessons learnt included the importance of comprehensive early planning, especially in understanding each site’s energy behaviour and operating environment. Factoring in grid instability early on allowed the team to adjust system designs to maintain stable performance. Cross-functional coordination proved essential: consistent communication among engineering, operations, finance and external partners helped resolve issues quickly and kept the multi-site rollout on track. Continuous monitoring also emerged as a key success factor, providing visibility into performance trends and enabling rapid optimisation. These lessons will guide future renewable-energy expansions across MTN’s footprint as the Group continues to embed sustainability into infrastructure decisions and advance its Project Zero goals.
For Nunes, the project reaffirmed the importance of pairing technical rigour with climate ambition. His work in network implementation and his research interest in decarbonisation pathways shaped the team’s approach to planning a system that is both operationally resilient and environmentally progressive.
“This proactive approach positions MTN Nigeria to navigate regulatory changes, reduce operational vulnerabilities and contribute to global climate objectives.” Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria.
Overview
Climate change poses significant physical and transitional risks to businesses, including disruptions to operations, supply chains, and regulatory compliance. In line with IFRS S2, MTN Nigeria recognised the need to proactively address these risks to strengthen climate resilience and business continuity. The Climate Scenario Analysis (CSA) was undertaken to understand longterm climate impacts better, inform adaptation and mitigation strategies, and support alignment with national and global climate goals.
Response
MTN Nigeria conducted a Climate Scenario Analysis in 2024 using temperature projections ranging from 1.5°C to above 2.8°C. The assessment leveraged Copernicus Satellite Data for advanced climate monitoring and utilised the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) framework, focusing specifically on SSP24.5. This enabled the identification and assessment of physical and transitional risks. The analysis also highlighted opportunities for energy optimisation and sustainable innovation that support longterm operational resilience.
Key outcomes included enhanced risk management, integration of climate considerations into strategic planning and identification of energy optimisation opportunities.
These efforts support MTN Nigeria’s environmental stewardship by providing the data and insights needed to reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience across our operations. The Climate Scenario Analysis enables the identification of high impact risks, prioritisation of low carbon interventions, and integration of climate considerations into strategic planning. This evidence based approach enhances operational efficiency, guides energy optimisation decisions, and accelerates progress toward MTN’s environmental commitments.
The challenge and what we wanted to achieve
During MTN South Africa’s sustainability assessment of Tjovitjo in Orange Farm, Sustainability and B-BBEE GM Keabetswe Mabe recognised how deeply energy poverty and digital exclusion were shaping daily life. Many households lacked reliable electricity and affordable connectivity, limiting opportunities for learning, economic activity and personal safety.
The area reflected a core sustainability priority for MTN South Africa and the Group: expanding access to clean, reliable energy while unlocking digital inclusion and enabling local economic participation in ways that supported the Group’s commitment to protecting the planet, a Just Transition and alignment with Ambition 2025’s strategic objectives. The long-term goal was to provide reliable renewable electricity, affordable internet connectivity and a pathway to economic empowerment, delivered through an infrastructure model that the community could own and sustain. By reducing reliance on fossil-fuel alternatives, building resilience and creating opportunities for micro-enterprise, the initiative advanced our commitments across Doing for Planet, Doing for People and Doing for Growth.
What we did
To achieve this, MTN South Africa partnered with Ukukubona NPC and technology partner Lokal Power to design and implement a renewable energy microgrid solution. The project relied on decentralised renewable energy poles (integrated, stand-alone units that combine solar panels and battery storage), locally sourced materials such as sand, stone and cement, prepaid voucher systems for electricity and Wi-Fi and remote monitoring technology to ensure reliable performance whilst also ensuring safety of this critical infrastructure. Implementation wrapped up at the end of 2024, with teams installing six microgrid poles and connecting approximately 100 households to prepaid renewable electricity and Wi-Fi. Community members were trained as voucher resellers and as technicians able to support maintenance and respond to operational issues. Through daily coordination meetings, adaptive planning and close community engagement, the project remained on track and reached households by the intended completion date.
Outcomes and impact
The project delivered several key outcomes. Approximately 100 households were electrified, with cabling installed for the remaining six households who already had lower-grade inverter systems. All connected households gained access to Wi-Fi, enabling learners to use educational platforms.
Economic benefits emerged quickly. The initiative created 15 temporary jobs during implementation and two permanent maintenance roles. Residents who became agents for electricity and Wi-Fi voucher sales began generating income, supporting small emerging micro-enterprises. Households could now access cleaner electricity at a significantly lower cost, a reduction of 46%. As Mabe noted, “This initiative goes beyond providing renewable energy and connectivity – it is about empowering people to take ownership of their future.”
The microgrid model also reduced reliance on fossil-fuel alternatives and demonstrated a scalable, low-carbon approach to expanding essential services in underserved areas. With remote monitoring and community-anchored maintenance and revenue structures, the system was designed for long-term sustainability and future expansion, directly supporting MTN’s climate ambition.
Lessons learnt
Monitoring and evaluation highlighted the importance of accurate site surveys, buffer stock and weather-risk planning, given the severe rainfall and flooding that affected installation timelines. In 2025, MTN and Ukukubona continued quarterly monitoring and explored opportunities to scale the model to more households in Orange Farm and additional communities. The project provided valuable lessons for future microgrid deployments, strengthening MTN South Africa’s ability to deliver climate-aligned, socially inclusive infrastructure at scale.
The challenge and what we wanted to achieve
Across Africa, young climate entrepreneurs are developing practical ideas to address energy insecurity, waste, water scarcity and other climate-related challenges. However, many struggle to move beyond the concept stage due to limited access to technical support, funding and incubation. The Africa PachiPanda Challenge, an initiative of MTN Group in partnership with WWF, was created to identify and support these ideas and help them scale. Its objective is to catalyse inclusive green entrepreneurship by giving young innovators the skills, visibility and networks needed to turn environmental challenges into practical, scalable solutions. Building on this continental platform, the PachiPanda Indalopreneur Programme (a partnership between MTN South Africa, Nedbank and Indalo Inclusive NPC) provides deeper, hands-on incubation for a South African cohort, with the first Indalovator training workshop held in Pretoria in May 2025.
What we did
The workshop brought together 15 young entrepreneurs working in early-stage clean- and green-tech enterprises. Ten participants were selected from MTN’s Africa PachiPanda Challenge finalists, with five selected through a national call for applications. Each enterprise received technical support and grant funding to help refine and test its solutions through the proof-of-concept stage. For Maluta Netshaulu, Head of Social Impact Portfolio Development at Nedbank, the partnership supports a better future for the country: “It allows us to invest in the ingenuity of South Africa’s youth,” he said. Rest Kanju, Director of Indalo Inclusive NPC, agrees: “We are proud to support a platform that enables young innovators to turn environmental challenges into scalable solutions.”
Outcomes and impact
The programme is designed to help entrepreneurs move faster from idea to proof-of-concept, strengthen investment readiness and support climate-aligned innovation that contributes to community resilience and long-term sustainability. Participants began building core business skills, refining their prototypes and learning how to position their solutions for scale.
Lessons learnt
Looking ahead, stronger monitoring frameworks, clearer post-incubation pathways and more opportunities for pilot projects will help deepen the programme’s long-term impact and support the next phase of growth for participating entrepreneurs.
The challenge and what we wanted to achieve
Helios Towers Ghana operates a national portfolio of 1,100 telecoms tower sites supporting mobile connectivity across the country, hosting network equipment for mobile network operators, including MTN Group, under a shared infrastructure model. These sites relied heavily on grid electricity and diesel generators to meet strict uptime requirements amid frequent grid instability, increasing operational costs and carbon emissions. For Joyce Aba Mensah, Helios’ Head of Projects and Compliance Champion, the company’s solar hybridisation initiative addressed both resilience and sustainability. “Our goal was to harness solar energy to cut emissions, while delivering more resilient, low-carbon connectivity,” she says. Ravi Suchak, Helios’ Group Head of External Affairs, Sustainability and Public Policy, confirms: “By integrating solar at scale, we are proving that resilient connectivity and climate responsibility go hand in hand, delivering lower emissions, reduced costs and stronger network performance for Ghana’s digital future,” he says.
What we did
The initiative sought to integrate renewable energy into day-to-day operations, demonstrating that cleaner power solutions could strengthen, rather than compromise, network reliability. This ambition aligned with MTN Group’s purpose while supporting SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
Outcomes and impact
Between 2023 and 2024, Helios Towers Ghana implemented solar hybrid systems across 409 of its tower sites. Cross-functional teams worked with technology partners and local contractors to design systems to maximise daytime energy substitution while maintaining uptime, marking a shift from diesel-led backup power to solar as a primary daytime energy source.
By July 2025, the programme had generated approximately 1.47 GWh of clean electricity, saving an estimated 50,000 litres of diesel. Performance optimisation, including improved maintenance and panel cleaning, increased average weekly solar output by 27%.
Lessons learnt
Reflecting on the results, Aba Mensah noted: “The outcome showed that solar energy can be deployed at scale to strengthen network resilience in grid-constrained areas, while delivering measurable emissions reductions and more consistent service delivery.”