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As a founding partner of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Africa, MTN is delighted to announce its active participation in the forthcoming 2023 event. Scheduled for 17-19 October 2023 at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda, our executive team will engage in pivotal dialogues with international industry leaders and esteemed African policymakers. These discussions aim to inspire conversations, ignite innovative ideas, and cultivate collaborative initiatives, all directed towards forging a more connected and inclusive future for every African.

The theme for this year’s MWC event, ‘Velocity: Unleashing Tomorrow’s Technology – Today,’ aligns seamlessly with MTN’s enduring commitment to Africa. We are dedicated to delivering digital solutions that not only empower but also enrich the lives of everyone on the continent, thereby actualising the benefits of a modern, connected life.

“The need for innovation, digital transformation and financial inclusion has never been greater. MTN is committed to collaborate with stakeholders who share our vision of finding solutions that empower communities, restore dignity and foster shared prosperity.”

Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO

Meet our speakers at MWC

The digital transformation journey in Africa is a transformative force that is empowering communities, governments, and businesses alike. Recognising the magnitude of this shift, MTN is committed to leading the charge. Our executives will once again take centre stage to engage in crucial dialogues with international industry leaders and esteemed African policymakers. The objective? To steer the conversation towards expediting digital inclusion across the continent. For us, the journey towards a digitally inclusive Africa is a collective mission, not a distant dream. We are steadfast in our belief that technology has the power to uplift, connect, and catalyse progress. By pooling our resources and expertise, we can seize this moment to make a digitally inclusive future a reality for all.

Visit our exhibition stand at MWC Africa

Discover the future of connectivity and innovation at the MTN Exhibition stand! Step into a world of possibilities and explore the latest digital solutions that are reshaping Africa’s landscape.

MTN Rwanda – Explore 25 years in Rwanda

For a quarter-century, MTN Rwanda has been at the forefront of transforming telecommunications in Rwanda. Established in 1998, our journey in Rwanda has been characterised by relentless innovation, robust connectivity, and an unwavering commitment to enriching the lives of the Rwandan people. From launching mobile services to leading digital inclusion efforts, MTN Rwanda has played a pivotal role in connecting communities, businesses, and individuals alike. As part of the 25-year celebrations, MTN Rwanda is privileged to host a delegation of senior MTN executives from all our operations. These leaders will contribute to key business dialogues at MWC Africa and engage substantively with Rwandan stakeholders. Their presence and participation underscores MTN’s commitment to Rwanda and our collective vision for a digitally connected nation.

As we celebrate this momentous milestone, we invite you to explore our timeline to see how our journey has unfolded.

MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita celebrates 25 years in Rwanda

MTN Group is one of the founding partners of the Mobile Word Congress (MWC) Africa and has the opportunity to participate in key dialogues at the upcoming 2022 event taking place from 25 – 27 October 2022, at the Kigali Convention Centre, in Rwanda.

This is the first ever MWC to take place in person on the African continent. The event is themed ‘Connectivity Unleashed’, a theme that speaks to our core belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life.

Several preconditions must be met for Africa to realize its much-aspired digital transformation and to be a globally competitive continent. The main one among them is the investment in and cultivation of highly skilled people, as producers, consumers and innovators of digital technologies. Investing in digital capabilities of citizens underpinned by both technological and human capacity offers the most robust strategy for the future. This is aligned to MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy and we are committed to doing our part.

MTN participation at MWC Africa 2022

Meet MTN Speakers at MWC Africa 2022

As part of MTN’s ongoing efforts to reiterate and position itself as a Pan-African Pioneer for digital and financial inclusion, the Group is pleased to be participate in the Commonwealth 26th Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be hosted by the Republic of Rwanda to discuss how the Member States and private sector actors will gather under the overarching theme Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.

We are proud to be an anchor sponsor for the Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF), an event organised every two years alongside CHOGM. The event is seen as an integral part of CHOGM and brings together Commonwealth’s most senior business leaders alongside Heads of Government and Ministers to discuss trade and investment opportunities.

MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy is anchored on leading the drive for digital and financial inclusion in Africa, aligning to the development agendas of nation states, and being their partner for socioeconomic development. By sponsoring this forum, we aim to strengthen the existing relationship with host governments which will be attending the forum.

For more information on the event : https://www.chogm2022.rw/CBF/

MTN participation at the Commonwealth Business Forum

Bridging the Digital Divide

MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita will participate in a panel discussion on Bridging the Digital Divide. The address will focus on how the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition towards a global digital economy and laid bare the issue of digital divide.

Challenging Protectionisms and Reducing the Barriers to Business

MTN Rwanda Chairman of the Board, Faustin Mbundu will participate on a panel discussion on Challenging Protectionisms and Reducing the Barriers to Business and will explore how the Commonwealth Advantage can be harnessed.

Innovative Financing, Supporting Future Growth

MTN Rwanda CEO for Mobile Money, Chantal Kagame will participate in a discussion on Innovative Financing, Supporting Future Growth. This session will look at the role Government must play to harness innovation and facilitate growth as well as the role of FinTech in growing the economy.

Learn More :https://www.chogm2022.rw/CBF/

MTN presence  at Commonwealth Business Forum

MTN will have an exhibition stand at Commonwealth Business Forum, be sure to visit us for more information on how driving Digital and Financial solutions for Africa Progress:

Stakeholder Engagements

MTN hosted a High-Level Ministerial Breakfast centered on building future-oriented partnership to drive digital transformation for Africa’s Progress. 

We thank our key stakeholders and strategic partners for standing in solidarity with us in driving digital & financial inclusion to the benefit of all. 

MTN Group is pleased to announce its participation as a proud diamond sponsor of The Africa CEO Forum. The event brings together African business leaders, and is scheduled to take place from 13-14 June 2022, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. We look forward to our participation with the objectives of strengthening the existing relationships with host governments and strategic partners, and reiterating MTN’s commitment to leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.

For more information on the event:  https://www.theafricaceoforum.com/forum-2022/en/

MTN participation at the Africa CEO Forum

MTN Group Senior Vice President of Markets, Ebenezer Asante will be participating in:

Digitalisation: How to Capture Africa’s $100bn Public Finance Improvement Opportunity?

A strategic roundtable on Digitalisation: How to Capture Africa’s $100bn Public Finance Improvement Opportunity? The session will focus how the digitalisation of financial and administrative services can offer formidable tools to accelerate and enhance financial inclusion, while also allowing nations to broaden their tax base. The roundtable will bring together government representatives, CEOs, and multilateral bankers to discuss the opportunities offered by a formalised digital economy.

Digital data: Greater Control and Smarter Use

A panel discussion on Greater Control and Smarter Use which will explore how digital data sovereignty has become a global geopolitical concern as well as a considerable economic opportunity. The panel will focus on how stakeholders can reconcile independence strategies while protecting citizens and growing the digital economy from regulation to harmonisation and data availability.

For more information : https://www.theafricaceoforum.com/forum-2022/en/forum-program/2022-06-14/#prog

MTN presence  Africa CEO Forum 

MTN will have an exhibition stand at Africa CEO Forum, be sure to visit us for more information on how driving Digital and Financial solutions for Africa Progress.

That’s a wrap from us at #AFC2022 


At this year’s event, we demonstrated our commitment to digital and financial inclusion and how we are paving the way for deployment of technology such as 5G across our markets. 
#Connectivity is the lifeline of modern societies and access to it is a digital human right.

MTN Group is pleased to announce that we are participating as sponsor in the upcoming Africa CEO Forum scheduled to take place from 13-14 June 2022, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Founded in 2012, the Africa CEO Forum is an annual gathering of decision-makers from the largest African companies, as well as international investors, multinational executives, heads of state, ministers, and representatives of the main financial institutions operating on the continent.

As a platform for high-level business meetings and a place to share experiences and to identify trends that affect the business world, the Africa CEO Forum is committed to offering concrete and innovative solutions to help the continent and its companies move forward.

This year’s forum will address the theme reconnect, reboot and reshare and will mobilise leading CEOs, investors, heads of state and ministers to outline new paths to African growth. The two days of conferences, debates and high-level meetings are dedicated to highlighting the driving role of the private sector in the development of the continent.

“As a pan-African company, MTN relies on relationships across the continent to create shared value. An MTN business imperative is standardised, consistent and well-governed stakeholder engagement that creates and preserves value. Our participation and sponsorship of the Africa CEO Forum is symbolic of the great progress in our journey towards achieving this imperative” said Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer Nompilo Morafo 

MTN Group will support this event as a sign of its commitment to advancing initiatives that are geared to strengthen relations between business and government.

“Our commitment to this forum is reflective of our Ambition 2025 strategy which is focused on establishing and growing our strategic partnerships to enhance our value propositions and our Africa footprint. We therefore look forward to robust and meaningful conversations which we hope will serve as a catalyser for solutions that are geared towards Africa’s progress.” concluded Morafo.

MTN Group is pleased to announce that it will be an anchor sponsor at the upcoming Commonwealth Business forum (CBF) scheduled to take place from 21 – 23 June 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda, 

The Commonwealth Business Forum is part of the official CHOGM programme and will be the first & largest in-person gathering for governments and businesses across the Commonwealth since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This year’s Forum will address the theme Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating and Transforming. 

MTN Group will support this event as an Anchor Sponsor, to the value of Two hundred and Thirty Thousand American Dollars (US$230 000), as a sign of its commitment to advancing initiatives that are geared to strengthen relations between business and government. 

“As an organisation that is committed to Africa’s sustainable socio-economic development and progress, we are honoured to be supporting this gathering. The engagements that will take place here between government and private sector leaders have potential to create conditions that will help our host governments realise the aspirations under Agenda 2063: The Africa We want,” said Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO.

The Forum is hosted as a partnership between the Government of Rwanda and 

Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). The week- long gathering is held every two years on a rotational basis, and as the youngest member, this would be the first time Rwanda hosts the Commonwealth since they joined the committee in 2009.

Clare Akamanzi, Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer commented saying “The Government of Rwanda welcomes MTN as an anchor sponsor to this year’s Commonwealth Business Forum, a unique platform for interaction between governments and the private sector from all Commonwealth countries. We look forward to interacting with MTN Group executives and having meaningful exchanges that lead to practical solutions and generate high level policy recommendations which will set the agenda for Rwanda’s two-year tenure as Chair-in Office of the Commonwealth.”

CHOGM will bring together several Heads of Government and over 5,000 delegates from across the Commonwealth including policy makers, business leaders, innovators across several sectors, global thought leaders and the youth.

“We are pleased to be a partner to the Commonwealth Business Forum. We look forward to the meaningful connections that will be made and to exchanging knowledge with Heads of States, Policy Makers, and Business Leaders among others. This will create the grounds by which we can propel further, our core belief that everyone deserves a modern connected life on the basis of sustainability for a common future,” said Mitwa Ng’ambi, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer.

For more information on how to register, please visit https://www.chogm2022.rw/CBF/

In celebrating International Women’s Day, MTN salutes and celebrates all the women who are working to make the world a more equal, diverse and inclusive place.

Without gender equality today, a sustainable and equal future is out of reach.

We are #DoingForTomorrowToday by further committing to empowerment and equality for women. We acknowledge that men must be active participants in driving change for equality and diversity – in the workplace and society at large.

Uto Ukpanah, MTN Nigeria Company Secretary

In her role as MTN Nigeria Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah has utilised her broad-based corporate experience in providing guidance and direction on operational governance within MTN Nigeria Group of entities. She is a legal practitioner, Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) and a Certified Ethics Officer, Ethics Institute/University of Stellenbosch.

Uto has been involved in the development and implementation of corporate governance codes across various sectors in Nigeria as well as global best practice guidelines driven by the United Nations Global Compact. Uto who represents MTN Nigeria on the Board of United Nations Global Compact Local Network; has been widely acknowledged as an advocate of business ethics, for safeguarding corporate integrity as well as promoting sustainable business strategies. Uto is responsible for embedding and implementing ESG at MTN Nigeria – ESG is at the core of MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy. She strongly believes in the integration of economic, environmental, and social objectives into corporate goals, activities, and planning, enabling long-term and shared value for the Company, its stakeholders, and the wider society.

Prior to joining MTN Nigeria, she had a fulfilling career in financial services and legal practice.

An alumnus of the Lagos Business School, she also serves on several boards across various sectors. She is a recipient of several awards and was recently honoured as the Company Secretary of the Year 2021 at the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards. She is a Member of several professional bodies including the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, the Ethics & Compliance Officers Association, USA. She sits on the Council of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).

She treasures her role as a wife and mother.

Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO

Ralph Mupita is the President and CEO of MTN Group, a position he has held since the 1st September 2020, having recently served as the MTN Group’s Chief Financial Officer since April 2017. Prior to joining MTN, Ralph served as the Chief Executive Officer for Old Mutual Emerging Markets, providing financial service solutions to individuals and corporates across 19 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Under his leadership, the Insurance Group’s Emerging Market business serviced over 19 million customers and had R1 trillion of assets under management.

Ralph is a seasoned business leader with experience in engineering, construction, financial services, and telecommunications. Since joining MTN, Ralph has played a pivotal role in the strengthening the Group’s financial position, strategy pivot, and successful listing on the Nigerian and Ghanaian Stock Exchanges.

Ralph serves as a Non-Executive Director on several MTN subsidiary Board and the Rand Merchant Investment Holdings (RMI). He also serves as an executive Board member of the International Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Harvard Business School Africa Advisory Board. Ralph is a Commissioner on the United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and a Champion of the World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance.

Ralph holds an MBA and BSc Engineering Hons degree from University of Cape Town and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School General Management Programme.

Ralph is passionate about the African continent and the role that mobile operators can play in driving sustainable digital and financial inclusion through fit-for-purpose solutions.

Anne Githuku-Shongwe, Director, UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa

Anne Githuku-Shongwe is the Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa. She has 20 years of experience as a senior international development professional, including with the United Nations Development Programme, across Africa and in management consulting in the United States of America.

Her last post was as the Representative for UN Women’s South Africa multicountry office, which is responsible for women’s empowerment and gender equality in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa.

Ms Githuku-Shongwe is an award-winning social entrepreneur and founder of AROES, a digital and gamification learning enterprise, and is a thought leader on the future of learning.  

Ms Githuku-Shongwe and AFROES have received multiple awards, including the prestigious Schwab Foundation/World Economic Forum Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 award and a national award, the Order of the Grand Warrior, from the President of Kenya.

She is an author and contributor to several books, including The write to speak: a collection of stories by African women leaders, Kenya@50 and Turning a crisis into an opportunity: the HIV response in Lesotho. She is also a board member and grand juror of the World Summit Awards for the United Nations Information Society and a former Global Ambassador of the Vital Voices leadership programme.

She has a masters degree in international development from the American University, a certificate in social innovation from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, a certificate in the art of large-scale systems change for social entrepreneurship from Harvard University and a management certificate from Jones International University.

Paul Norman, MTN Group Chief HR Officer

Paul Norman is the Group Chief Human Resources Officer at MTN Group. He has been an executive at MTN since 1997. He is a member of the Group Exco and has played a key role in MTN’s evolution from a single country business to a global business.

Paul has a Masters degree in Psychology from Rhodes University and also graduated from IMD in Switzerland with an MBA. He is a qualified Psychologist and before moving into Industry, he ran his own private practise.

As an HR professional Paul has positioned MTN as an employer of choice across all its markets. In 2003 Paul was also awarded HR Practitioner of the Year by the Institute for People Management (IPM). In 2012 he was recognised by the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP), with the Lifetime Achievement Award. According to SABPP, the award was in acknowledgment of his great contribution to the advancement of the Human Resources profession, not only in South Africa, but across MTN’s countries of operation.


He serves as a director on several of MTN’s Subsidiary Boards. He has also established various entrepreneurial ventures in the food, motor, and alternative energy sectors. 

Titilope Fakude, MTN Liberia Chief Information Officer

Passionate and inspiring leader with strong IT skills targets Mobile Money potential…

Titi Fakuade worked with MTN for 14 years and will mark two years in the position of Chief Information Officer in March 2021.

Previous roles include Senior Manager for Intelligent Network & VAS Planning, where she was responsible for the design, planning and optimisation of the Intelligent Network & VAS network, deployment of value-added services and other third-party applications. Her strengths include Strategy, Execution Excellence and Capacity Development. She is adept at Adding Value and Results Oriented.

Throughout her 19-year career she gained extensive experience in strategy, telecoms, and IT leadership along with execution excellence across Nigeria and Liberia. Her ability to transition various roles, coupled with a ‘no limits’ mindset, has stood her in good stead during the crisis.

The strong information technology professional graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, with MBA from University of Wales, studied Digital Disruption at IMD Business School and Sustainable Business Strategy at Harvard Business School Online in 2019.

Agness Phiri , UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office, Partnership Specialist

Agnes Utunga Phiri is a Strategic Partnerships Specialist with over 25 years’ experience. Currently working with the UN Women South Africa Multi-Country, Agnes has had a long-term career with the United Nations and Private Sector. 

She has worked on development issues such as Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Utilising ICT to address Gender Based Violence and Maternity Protection for Informal Workers.  Agnes has coordinated, co-edited and produced Case Studies and publications to amplify advocacy aimed to mobilize stakeholders to address challenging development issues such as Gender Equality; HIV/AIDS; ICT for Development, Good Governance and Human Rights.

She has conceptualised and organised high level regional campaigns to engage private sector on issues such ending violence against women and girls and Women Economic Empowerment. Agnes has served on a voluntary and non-remunerated,  on a number of non-for-profit Boards that promote issues of  Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, LGBTQ, HIV/AIDS in an advisory capacity.  She was part of the historic UN Observer Mission contingent to monitor the first South Africa Democratic Elections in 1994 and she is a Cherie Blair Foundation Mentee Alumni (2016-2017).

Malik Melamu, MTN Sudan Chief Executive Officer

Malik Melamu is the MTN Sudan Chief Executive Officer and has held this position since 1st April 2016, he previously served as MTN Benin Chief Executive Officer. He is a seasoned business leader with extensive experience in in the banking and telecommunications industry.

During his tenture at MTN, Malik has played a pivotal role in keeping the MTN Sudan business running in a hyperinflation environment, whilst ensuring the people of Sudan enjoy the benefits of a modern connected life.

Malik serves as a Chairman of the board at Kgori Capital and a Non-Executive director of The Ethics Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Laws – LLB from the University of Botswana, a certificate in Managerial Finance from London School of Economics and Political Science, Certificate in Strategic Innovation from Oxford University Said Business School, and completed Executive Development Program at University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business.

Malik is passionate about the development of emerging markets in Africa and driving sustainable digital and financial solutions.

Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs officer

Nompilo Morafo is the Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs officer of the MTN Group, effective 1 February 2022, having joined MTN as Group Executive for Corporate Affairs and Sustainability in December 2018. Nompilo is responsible for the creation of shared value and the integration of Environmental, Social and Governances (ESG) practices at the core of MTN’s business. Her responsibilities include the management  of MTN’s reputation, through coordination of sustainability, corporate communication, stakeholder engagement and Corporate Social Investment (CSI) across its footprint.

She is a seasoned corporate affairs and sustainability executive having served as Country Director for Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development at LafargeHolcim. Prior to that Nompilo was Vice President for Country Management and Public Affairs for Sasol’s International Exploration and Production business in Mozambique.

Nompilo holds a B Tech Degree from the  (Tshwane University , a National Diploma in Business Communication from Pretoria Technikon),  a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Practices from Henley Business School) as well as  Management of Managers Development Programme from the Gordon Institute of Business Science

Her experience in corporate affairs, country management and sustainability spans more than 20 years in sectors including financial services, mining, oil and gas and now telecommunications.

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has joined MTN in pledging to commit to a Road to Zero strategy and committing to realising a Net Zero carbon emission future by 2040.  MTN has called on partners including Ericsson to work together to setting science-based targets to reach  a Net Zero future together.

A key aspect of MTN Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy is to create shared value in a sustainable manner through responsible Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. By leveraging Ericsson’s latest and most advanced sustainable technologies, MTN will be in a better position to realize its energy use and carbon management efforts in line with its commitment to reach Net Zero emissions by 2040.

Climate action is imperative to secure future socio-economic development in Africa., This initiative will see MTN and Ericsson work together to support economic growth and development in an environmentally responsible way. Through the pledge, Ericsson and MTN will also support several UN Sustainable Development Goals and play an important role in helping realize the 1.5-degree global warming goal set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Nicolas Blixell, Vice President, and Head of Global Customer Unit at Ericsson Middle East and Africa says: “At Ericsson, we strive for collaboration in everything we do. Understanding that we cannot achieve a Net Zero world alone, we endeavor to form strategic partnerships across sectors, industries, and markets.  By signing this pledge with MTN and collaborating to provision our advanced sustainable cellular technologies, we are demonstrating our commitment towards forming partnerships where limitless connectivity improves lives, redefines business and pioneers a sustainable future.”

Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer said: “It’s about doing for tomorrow, today – realizing a Net Zero future is critical to our commitments towards sustainability, and we know that we can only realise our ambition through collaboration with our partners. With Ericsson joining our pledge, we hope to inspire our other partners, the telecommunications industry and other stakeholders to take meaningful steps towards decarbonization.”

The shift towards sustainability requires examining how we use resources. Currently, only 8.6 per cent of the material we use forms part of the circular economy. This means less than 10 per cent of the material used in the world in a year is recycled or reused in some way. Ericsson has also pledged to contribute towards MTN’s circular economy, which is an imperative part of the Road to Zero pledge aimed at driving Reducing, Reusing and Recycling of equipment.

Being a sustainability pioneer in the telecom industry for many decades, Ericsson has continually focused efforts on enhancing the circular economy and realising climate action goals. As a member of the 1.5°C Supply Chain Leaders initiative, Ericsson is also driving exponential climate action across global supply chains, supporting net-zero goals and the pledge. Through its commitment to science-based climate goals spanning several operations across its value chain, reducing impact in its own operations and products in use, and in its continued investment in the circular economy through initiatives such as the product take-back and e-waste management programs, Ericsson remains determined to help the telecom sector leave a lighter environmental footprint on the planet.

MTN Group and Rakuten Symphony have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct live 4G and 5G OpenRAN Proof of Concept (PoC) trials in South Africa, Nigeria, and Liberia based on Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP). RCP assists telcos worldwide with the deployment of fully cloud-native network services.

The trials, which will start in 2022, combine RCP OpenRAN technology with advanced automation and autonomous network capabilities with one of Africa’s top brownfield operators.

“We are pleased to announce our partnership with Rakuten Symphony to deploy live 4G and 5G OpenRAN trials across South Africa, Nigeria, and Liberia. In line with our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, we are committed to actively driving the rapid expansion of affordable 4G and 5G coverage across markets in Africa,” said Mazen Mroue, MTN Group Chief Technology & Information Systems Officer. “We have announced our support towards the deployment of OpenRAN technology in 2021 to modernise our radio access network footprint. Through this partnership we hope to target innovation and cost efficiencies that will enable us to continue delivering an exceptional customer experience.”

The solutions, currently deployed by Rakuten Mobile in Japan, include cloud orchestration, Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) and automation of radio site commissioning and network integration.

“We’re excited to take this next step in our partnership with MTN,” said Rabih Dabboussi, Chief Revenue Officer of Rakuten Symphony. “This PoC will demonstrate how one of the world’s top-tier brownfield mobile operators can utilise Rakuten Symphony’s network automation and orchestration solutions for cost-effective network transformation and timely deployment of next-generation network services to their customers across Africa.”

Rakuten Mobile has set multiple industry landmarks with its full-scale launch of commercial services on the world’s first fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network*1 in 2020, and Rakuten Symphony, launched in 2021, is now bringing that technology to operators globally. Rakuten Symphony brings together Rakuten’s telco products, services, and solutions under a single global banner to offer 4G and 5G infrastructure and platform solutions to customers worldwide.

In line with MTN Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress, this MoU will enable the launch of new services more quickly, cost-effectively, and seamlessly.

MTN and Rakuten Symphony will be collaborating with Accenture and Tech Mahindra to conduct the trials in South Africa, Nigeria and Liberia.

Communications Media and Technology Lead for Africa Nitesh Singh said “As one of the leading professional services firms in technology and networks in particular it is an exciting time in the industry for all parties on the OpenRan journey. In line with MTN Group’s Ambition 2025 of leading digital solutions for Africa, we are excited to be part of the partnership with both Rakuten and MTN to ultimately pass these benefits on to MTN’s consumers in the market”.

President of Communication, Media and Entertainment (CME) and Chief Executive of Network Services in Tech Mahindra, Manish Vyas said, “Communication Service Providers today are increasingly focused on 5G network modernisation. As a leading provider of networks of the future, it is our mission to be a trusted transformation partner for operators globally. We bring in deep expertise in integrating OpenRAN sub-systems and enabling end-to-end transformation through planning, designing, testing, deployment, and operationalisation. This collaboration will enable MTN’s OpenRAN transformation program and will deliver benefits of disruptive Open RAN architecture to consumers and enterprises in Africa.”

Note:

*1 For a large scale commercial mobile network (as of October 1, 2019). Research: Stella Associa

* The company names, product and service names in this press release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.