MTN in partnership with Microsoft, has completed a major modernisation of its Enterprise Value Analytics (EVA) platforming in South Africa by migrating it to Microsoft Azure. The new cloud-based EVA 3.0 platform gives MTN greater agility and intelligence in how it uses data to enhance customer experience, improve operational efficiency, and enable responsible AI deployment.
The upgraded platform, now the largest Telco cloud implementation in the Middle East and Africa, allows MTN to analyse and act on data faster and more securely. It processes around 22 billion records each day and runs more than 800 analytics workflows from over 1,700 data feeds. Built on Azure Databricks and protected by Microsoft Defender, EVA 3.0 has shown a significant improvement in processing speed compared to the previous platform.
With faster data processing and real-time analytics, the new platform gives MTN earlier visibility into service performance and customer trends, allowing teams to resolve issues faster, design more relevant offers, and ensure a consistently high-quality service experience. Customers benefit from services that are more reliable, responsive, and intelligently managed.
“Our customers expect reliability, relevance, and responsiveness in every interaction with us; understanding our vast amounts of data and extracting meaningful insights in a timely manner has always been central to how we deliver that experience,” said Nikos Angelopoulos, MTN Group Chief Information Officer.
“With EVA 3.0, we’re expanding those capabilities – analysing information more quickly, applying intelligence more effectively, and safeguarding it through advanced cloud security. Working with Microsoft, we’ve built a resilient platform that supports responsible AI and ensures we continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
Beyond the implementation in MTN South Africa, the EVA 3.0 model provides a blueprint for similar data modernisation across MTN Group markets. By leveraging Microsoft’s global cloud expertise and MTN’s deep understanding of local connectivity needs, the collaboration demonstrates how technology partnerships can expand access, drive inclusion, and strengthen Africa’s digital infrastructure.
“MTN’s adoption of Azure for its analytics backbone demonstrates what’s possible when global technology and local expertise work together,” said Alkis Flemetakis, Telco Account Director Microsoft. “This collaboration is unlocking deeper insights, strengthening data protection, and accelerating digital transformation across the continent.”
Rick Lievano, Microsoft’s Worldwide Chief Technology Officer for Telecommunications, emphasised how artificial intelligence and big data analytics are at the heart of telco transformation – enabling operators to optimise networks for efficiency and resilience, create new revenue streams beyond traditional connectivity and enhance customer experience through personalisation and predictive services.
MTN’s Azure technical capability is supported by MTN Group’s Cloud Centre of Excellence and a Group wide network of engineers that, in 2025, achieved more Microsoft Azure certifications than any other organisation in Africa. With over 1,350 certifications attained to date, this milestone reflects MTN’s sustained investment in cloud expertise, continuous skills development, and its commitment to advancing digital capability across the continent.
Building on this foundation, MTN is advancing secure, data-driven systems that are transforming how people and businesses connect. Through intelligent use of cloud and analytics, the company is improving reliability, deepening inclusion, and strengthening the foundations of Africa’s digital economy. This approach reflects MTN’s ambition to lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress and ensure that connectivity, data, and innovation create opportunity for all
UNICEF and GSMA have launched theAfrica Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), the first of its kind, to strengthen children’s safety, rights and wellbeing in the digital world.
Launched at MWC25 Kigali, the Taskforce will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform to lead, coordinate and advance child online protection efforts across Africa, while helping to build national and regional capacity to keep children safe online.
The launch follows the GSMA’s June 2025 whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed in collaboration with UNICEF and regional partners. The whitepaper called for strengthened action from governments, industry, civil society, and youth to build safer digital environments for children, and directly recommended the establishment of this Taskforce as a mechanism to drive implementation.
As more children across Africa come online – at one of the fastest rates globally – they face increasing risks ranging from cyberbullying and exploitation to misinformation and exposure to harmful content. Africa’s mobile-first landscape, rapid technological change, and growing youth population present both opportunity and risk. With the continent’s unique digital landscape, the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence and a growing youth population, the need for a homegrown, African-led approach to child online protection has never been more urgent.
“As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first. The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli. “By uniting governments, partners, and young people, we can make safety the foundation of Africa’s digital future.”
The taskforce will bring together partners from across the mobile industry, technology sector, regulatory bodies, law enforcement and civil society to strengthen cooperation and drive the implementation of existing regional frameworks and policies.
Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy at GSMA Africa, added: “The Taskforce marks an important step from strategy to action, turning the whitepaper’s recommendations into tangible regional progress. By working alongside UNICEF, governments, industry, and youth representatives, we aim to embed safety into Africa’s digital transformation journey and ensure children’s voices shape the policies that define their future. Together, we will strengthen digital governance, promote safety by design, and ensure that children and young people’s voices shape the policies that define Africa’s digital future. By working in partnership, we can position Africa as a global leader in child-centred digital governance.”
To date, the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection brings together a diverse coalition of partners, including Axian Telecom, Child Helpline International, INTERPOL, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Internet Watch Foundation, MTN Group, MtotoNews, Orange, Paramount Africa, Safaricom, Vodacom Group and Youth Representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda.
Young people who contributed to the whitepaper’s consultations – including youth advocates such as 19-year-old Jemima Kasongo – will continue to play an active role through the Taskforce, ensuring that the perspectives of Africa’s next generation remain central to this work.
The GSMA – together with Airtel, the African Population for Health Research Center (APHRC), Awarri, Axian Telecom, Cassava Technologies, Ethio Telecom, Masakhane African Languages Hub, Lelapa AI, MTN, Orange, Pawa AI, Qhala, the World Sandbox Alliance and Vodacom – today announced a continent-wide collaboration to strengthen Africa’s AI ecosystem by developing inclusive African AI language models. The initiative aims to crowd in resources and expertise to address gaps in data, compute, talent and policy, ensuring African languages, cultures and knowledge are fully represented in the global digital future.
Under the shared ambition “AI Language Models in Africa, By Africa, For Africa” the initiative seeks to close the region’s language gap in artificial intelligence, ensuring that Africa’s voices, cultures and knowledge are fully represented in the global digital future. The GSMA recognises existing efforts that have made great strides in addressing AI adoption in Africa, however, foundational challenges remain and is calling on ecosystem partners to join collectively to align efforts and further accelerate AI adoption in Africa.
Today, the world’s leading LLMs are built around a handful of global languages, limiting access and relevance for billions of people whose linguistic and cultural diversity remains underrepresented online. As cited in GSMA’s AI for Africa report series, in Africa alone, more than 2,000 languages are spoken, yet only a fraction are supported in digital systems or AI models. This lack of inclusion risks widening existing digital and economic divides.
By developing AI language models trained on African languages and local data, the initiative aims to empower businesses, governments, and communities to create AI applications and innovative use cases tailored to African realities – from customer service and education to healthcare, creative industries, and public service delivery.
This initiative follows a feasibility study led by the GSMA and its regional members which confirmed that African-led language models are both technically feasible and economically viable. However, the study stressed that success requires collective leadership, investment and collaboration – not fragmented efforts.
Building Africa’s Digital Future
The study identified four crucial opportunities to be addressed: data, compute, talent and policy. The continent-wide collaboration will foster co-creation and mobilise leading operators, governments, researchers, technology providers, investors, and development partners to mind these gaps and accelerate development.
To translate this ambition into action, the collaboration will establish dedicated working groups to drive measurable progress across data, compute, talent, and policy. Partners have committed to regularly showcasing outcomes and sharing learnings at upcoming GSMA events, ensuring accountability and sustained momentum toward Africa’s inclusive AI future.
Call to Action
By taking an integrated, problem-solving approach, the GSMA and its members are collaborating with Africa’s AI ecosystem to unlock opportunities across data, compute, talent, and markets. This collective effort will drive innovation and empower local industries, strengthening digital sovereignty and accelerating the scaling of AI across the continent today. Ecosystem partners – including startups, academia, creative industries, civil society, donors, and global technology players – are invited to join and contribute to this shared ambition.
Angela Wamola, Head of Africa, GSMA said: “Africa’s diversity of languages and cultures is one of our greatest strengths, yet it has too often been overlooked in the development of global AI systems. This initiative is about turning that challenge into an opportunity – building African-led AI capacity, empowering innovation across local industries, and ensuring Africa shapes the digital future on its own terms. By working together, we can make AI more inclusive, more relevant, and more reflective of the world we live in.”
New industry-wide initiative aims to boost digital inclusion by lowering barriers to smartphone ownership in Africa
The GSMA, in collaboration with six of Africa’s largest mobile operators – Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, MTN, Orange, and Vodacom today proposed a groundbreaking baseline set of minimum requirements for an affordable entry-level 4G smartphone. The initiative, part of the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition, is designed to accelerate digital inclusion across the continent by lowering the cost of smartphone ownership for millions who remain unconnected.
Smartphone affordability remains the single largest barrier to mobile internet adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the GSMA’s State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 Report, more than 3 billion people globally live within mobile broadband coverage but do not use the internet, with affordability of handsets cited as the top challenge. GSMA Intelligence estimates that a $40 smartphone could bring mobile internet within reach for an additional 20 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, while a $30 handset could enable up to 50 million to get connected.
The requirements propose baseline specifications for memory, RAM, camera quality, display size, battery performance and other features to ensure a viable, long-lasting 4G smartphone experience at a significantly reduced cost.
Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, said: “Access to a smartphone is not a luxury – it is a lifeline to essential services, income opportunities and participation in the digital economy. By uniting around a shared vision for affordable 4G devices, Africa’s leading operators and the GSMA are sending a powerful signal to manufacturers and policymakers. This is an important step towards bridging the digital divide and ensuring that millions more people can reap the benefits of mobile connectivity.”
A Call to Action
In the coming months, the GSMA will engage with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and technology companies to consult on the proposed minimum requirements and gain support for affordable 4G devices. At the same time, the mobile industry is calling on governments across Africa to act swiftly to remove taxes on entry-level smartphones priced below $100. In some countries, VAT and import duties can increase device prices by more than 30%, directly raising costs for citizens and hindering digital inclusion efforts.
Earlier this year, South Africa introduced tax reforms on entry-level smartphones – a policy the industry urges other African governments to replicate to build momentum for digital transformation.
Driving Inclusive Growth
Mobile internet connectivity underpins access to education, healthcare, financial services and e-commerce, and is linked to poverty reduction and higher wellbeing. Closing the usage gap in low- and middle-income countries between 2023 and 2030 could generate $3.5 trillion in additional GDP.
MTN is proud to once again take part in MWC Kigali, Africa’s flagship technology gathering, taking place from 21 to 23 October 2025 at the Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda. The event, hosted by the GSMA, brings together leaders from government, industry and technology with a shared goal: to unlock the power of digital innovation for inclusive growth across the continent.
MWC Kigali provides an important platform for Africa’s leaders, innovators and partners to engage on the continent’s digital economy, demonstrate progress, and shape the investments and innovations needed for the future. As a founding partner, MTN values the opportunity to listen, learn and exchange ideas with peers and partners. Its participation reflects a long-standing commitment to accelerating Africa’s digital transformation by building networks and platforms that deliver value today, while advancing new technologies that will shape tomorrow.
Advancing Africa’s digital agenda
MTN’s participation at MWC Kigali 2025 will be headlined by Ralph Mupita, who will feature in Keynote 1: Africa’s Future First – Determining the Path to a Digital Future. The keynote will explore Africa’s position at a pivotal point in its digital evolution, with unique mobile subscribers projected to exceed 700 million by 2030. It will consider the opportunities and challenges shaping this next phase of growth, from the usage gap that persists even as broadband coverage expands to the rise of new technologies such as 5G, fintech and generative AI.
In addition to the keynote, MTN’s leadership will participate in high-level panels and roundtables discussing Africa’s digital trajectory, sharing their perspectives on infrastructure investment, FinTech, AI adoption, online safety, and the continent’s connected future.
Immersive stand experience
MTN’s stand at MWC Kigali 2025 will offer visitors an immersive experience that unifies the company’s platform ecosystem with live demonstrations, showing how advanced networks translate into real value and open up new possibilities for Africa’s digital future.
At the centre of the experience are MTN’s platforms MoMo, Bayobab and Chenosis, showcased to illustrate how they enable financial inclusion, connect communities, strengthen continental infrastructure and empower developers. The stand will also feature the MTN Skills Academy, a programme designed to equip young people with digital and entrepreneurial capabilities. To date, the platform has attracted more than 228,000 subscribers, with learners completing over 97,000 learning activities, including courses and career guidance surveys. This reflects MTN’s commitment to building Africa’s digital talent base and creating pathways to employment and innovation.
Alongside this, in collaboration with Ericsson, MTN will present demonstrations of 5G-enabled applications that highlight the power of real-time, reliable connectivity. HADO, an augmented reality game showcased in Africa for the first time, will demonstrate how low latency can support interactive learning, remote clinical support and skills training, alongside entertainment. A 5G-enabled robotic dog will demonstrate how connected technologies can enhance safety and efficiency in inspection and monitoring across various industries, including mining, utilities, and energy. The Ray-Ban Display smart glasses with neural gesture control will point to future possibilities in accessibility, workforce productivity and interaction with digital services.
Together, these showcases highlight what real-time, reliable connectivity can unlock for Africa. They point to broader access to essential services, safer and more efficient industry operations, and productivity gains across education, health, agriculture, energy and manufacturing, underscoring the continent’s potential for inclusive digital growth.
We look forward to engaging with visitors, partners and media at MWC Kigali 2025. Join us at our stand to experience the demonstrations first-hand, or contact the press office to arrange interviews and briefings.
MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita announces that MTN has reached its Ambition 2025 strategic target of serving 300 million customers
Left to Right: His Excellency Ambassador Salih Omar Abdu, the Ambassador of Eritrea and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in South Africa; MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita; and His Excellency Ambassador Andre Nzapayeke, the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and ambassador for the Central African Republic in South Africa
MTN Eswatini received top honours for its Government in Your Hand initiative. Left to Right: MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita, Vice President MTN SEA; Yolanda Cuba, Senior VP:Markets at MTN Group, Ebenezer Twum Asante; Senior Manager for Sponsorship and Events at MTN Group, Thandiwe Mashinini; General Manager, Commercial and Operations at MTN SEA, Jerry Soko; Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Nompilo Morafp
As part of our commitment to connecting communities across Africa, MTN Group hosted leaders of Africa’s diplomatic and public sector at its annual Ambassadors Appreciation Dinner on Wednesday, where we were delighted to announce that we had reached our Ambition 2025 strategic target of serving 300 million customers.
The gathering brought together diplomats and senior officials; the CEOs from across MTN’s markets; and members of the MTN Group Executive Committee to strengthen collaboration, investment and policy alignment in support of the continent’s digital transformation.
“The time is now for Africa to take charge of its own socioeconomic progress. We need to look within for solutions and to develop our own communities,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita, referencing global geopolitical uncertainty which had curtailed the foreign aid on which large parts of our continent had typically depended.
Mupita drew encouragement from MTNers and their communities who weren’t deterred by the challenges they face, choosing rather to roll up their sleeves in the annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign and work together to extend digital and financial inclusion, particularly in rural, remote and underserved areas.
“Tonight, we celebrate our Y’ello Care employee volunteers and take inspiration from their can-do attitude. We also celebrate their dedication which has led to the Group meeting a strategic milestone by serving more than 300 million customers a mere three decades since the start of our first commercial operation in South Africa.”
MTN Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer Nompilo Morafo said the 2025 Y’ello Care campaign – themed “Connecting at the Roots: Connecting communities through the use of digital tools” – illustrated how collaboration and innovation translate into progress across communities.
Through initiatives developed by employees and local partners, it demonstrated how digital tools are expanding opportunity and improving everyday life across Africa.
“Y’ello Care embodies our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, while reminding us that progress is ultimately built through people – our ideas, commitment and compassion,” she said. “I am grateful to MTNers, partners and community collaborators who continue to bring this belief to life.”
MTN Eswatini received top honours for its Government in Your Hand initiative, which integrates MoMo to deliver essential public services and build digital literacy, advancing national e-governance and inclusion.
MTN Cameroon earned the WECA Region Award for its community-driven digital centres that empower citizens to co-create local solutions, strengthening participation and innovation at the grassroots.
MTN Uganda won the SEA Region Award for expanding digital inclusion through computer labs, solar-powered health centres, and vocational training, equipping communities with digital skills, connectivity, and access to essential services.
MoMo, the winner of the inaugural Platform Business Award, was recognised for driving financial inclusion through digital training, entrepreneurship support, and technology-enabled healthcare access.
MTN Nigeria received a Special Mention Award for the scale and innovation of its Y’ello Boxes and MoMo Market Storm initiatives, which deepen digital and financial inclusion for women, traders, and small business owners.
Additional recognition went to operations across MTN’s markets for projects exemplifying MTN’s values. Connecting purpose with action, MTNers help build societies that are more inclusive, more resilient and more hopeful.
Mupita thanked the diplomatic community for its continued partnership and for supporting an enabling environment that fosters sustainable investment and innovation.
He noted that this spirit of collaboration remains vital as Africa advances toward the goals of Agenda 2063, reaffirming that the journey is ambitious but achievable, grounded in partnership and guided by a vision of an inclusive digital future.
MTN is proud to once again be part of MWC Kigali, Africa’s leading technology event, taking place from 21 – 23 October 2025 at the Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda. Hosted by the GSMA, the gathering brings together government, industry and technology leaders to explore how digital innovation can unlock inclusive growth across the continent.
”MWC Kigali provides an important platform for Africa’s leaders, innovators and partners to engage on the continent’s digital economy, demonstrate the progress already made, and shape the investments and innovations needed for the future.”
Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO
For MTN, MWC Kigali is an opportunity to showcase progress across our networks, fintech, digital services and skills initiatives, while engaging with policymakers and partners to secure an inclusive and sustainable digital future for Africa.
Advancing Africa’s Digital Agenda
As a founding partner of MWC Africa, MTN continues to value the platform’s role in listening, learning and sharing ideas to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.
This year, our participation will be headlined by Ralph Mupita in Keynote 1: Africa’s Future First – Determining the Path to a Digital Future. The session will explore Africa’s digital transformation journey, with unique mobile subscribers projected to surpass 700 million by 2030, and examine how technologies such as AI, fintech, 5G and green innovation are reshaping industries and driving inclusive growth.
In addition to the keynote, MTN’s leadership will participate in high-level panels and roundtables discussing Africa’s digital trajectory, sharing their perspectives on infrastructure investment, FinTech, AI adoption, online safety, and the continent’s connected future.
An Immersive MTN Stand
MTN’s stand at MWC Kigali 2025 will offer visitors an immersive experience that unifies the company’s platform ecosystem with live demonstrations, showing how advanced networks translate into real value and open up new possibilities for Africa’s digital future.
At the centre of the experience are MTN’s platforms MoMo, Bayobab and Chenosis, showcased to illustrate how they enable financial inclusion, connect communities, strengthen continental infrastructure and empower developers. The stand will also feature the MTN Skills Academy, a programme designed to equip young people with digital and entrepreneurial capabilities. To date, the platform has attracted more than 228,000 subscribers, with learners completing over 97,000 learning activities, including courses and career guidance surveys. This reflects MTN’s commitment to building Africa’s digital talent base and creating pathways to employment and innovation.
Alongside this, in collaboration with Ericsson, MTN will present demonstrations of 5G-enabled applications that highlight the power of real-time, reliable connectivity. HADO, an augmented reality game showcased in Africa for the first time, will demonstrate how low latency can support interactive learning, remote clinical support and skills training, alongside entertainment. A 5G-enabled robotic dog will demonstrate how connected technologies can enhance safety and efficiency in inspection and monitoring across various industries, including mining, utilities, and energy. The Ray-Ban Display smart glasses with neural gesture control will point to future possibilities in accessibility, workforce productivity and interaction with digital services.
Together, these showcases highlight what real-time, reliable connectivity can unlock for Africa. They point to broader access to essential services, safer and more efficient industry operations, and productivity gains across education, health, agriculture, energy and manufacturing, underscoring the continent’s potential for inclusive digital growth.
We look forward to engaging with visitors, partners and media at MWC Kigali 2025. Join us at our stand to experience the demonstrations first-hand, or contact the press office to arrange interviews and briefings.
MTN Group has once again been recognised as one of the Forbes World’s Best Employers, marking its fifth consecutive year on the list. MTN now ranks 3rd globally in the Telecommunications Services, Cable Supplier category – showcasing leadership in the sector. In a remarkable leap, MTN has also climbed 101 places in the overall global ranking to 166th, up from 267th in 2024.
This recognition, based on feedback from over 300,000 employees in over 50 countries worldwide, is a testament to MTN’s unwavering commitment to fostering a workplace culture rooted in care, integrity, agility, respect, and inclusion which aligns to the pillars of its “Live Y’ello” values.
“This achievement is a reflection of the incredible people who make MTN what it is. Our people are the driving force behind the group’s mission to enable digital and financial inclusion across the continent, and it is through their dedication that we continue to lead in delivering digital solutions for Africa’s growth,” said Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO.
“We are honoured to be recognised, and even more committed to the culture we’ve built – a culture that emphasises empowerment and inclusivity.”
At the heart of MTN’s success is its Live Inspired Employee Value Promise, which ensures every team member is supported to grow, innovate, and thrive. This promise is not just a statement but a lived experience across MTN’s markets, where every individual’s voice is valued, and where passion, dedication, and collaboration drive our shared success.
“This recognition from Forbes is a powerful testament to the value our 17,500+ people place in being part of the MTN journey,” said Paul Norman, MTN Group Chief Human Resources Officer.
“It affirms the importance of creating a workplace built on inclusivity, support, and personal growth – an environment where everyone can thrive. It is through the passion and commitment of our people that MTN continues to lead.”
The organisation’s continued investment in employee well-being, diversity, and growth reinforces its belief that empowered people build empowered communities.
2025 Pan-African Media Innovation Programme (MIP) MTN Group Launch – Nigeria Fellows
MTN Group with partners UJ & TAEF at Pan African Media Innovation Programme (MIP) launch
MTN Group, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the African Editors Forum (TAEF), today launched the Pan-African Media Innovation Programme (MIP), a continental initiative to equip journalists with the skills, tools, and networks required to navigate a rapidly changing information environment.
The programme builds on the success of the MTN Nigeria MIP, established in 2022, and now extends the model to media practitioners across MTN’s footprint. It offers a certified 12-week curriculum, delivered independently by UJ and TAEF, which combines online academic modules with in-person immersion in Johannesburg. Participants will explore digital transformation, the sustainability of independent media, ethics and law, entrepreneurship, and the impact of platforms and emerging technologies on the information ecosystem. Industry masterclasses, newsroom visits, and innovation projects will connect academic learning to practice.
The launch comes at a time when Africa, like the rest of the world, faces rising levels of fake news, coordinated disinformation, and fragile business models. Strengthening media resilience is critical to advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063 goal of inclusive, informed, and democratic societies. For MTN, the initiative also aligns with its role as a trusted partner to the countries where it operates, ensuring that connectivity supports not only digital access but also the institutions that safeguard trust.
Speaking at the launch, Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer said, “Africa’s digital future depends on both the infrastructure we build and the strength of the institutions that foster trust and accountability. Through the Pan-African MIP, we are investing in media capacity and innovation alongside respected academic and editorial partners. Together we aim to strengthen the information ecosystems that are essential for resilient democracies and inclusive growth.”
UJ spokesperson added, “Our partnership ensures that the programme is rooted in academic rigour while responsive to the realities of newsrooms. Equipping journalists with the skills to navigate disruption and build sustainable models is critical for the future of the profession.”
African Editors Forum spokesperson said, “Editors across Africa welcome this initiative. Independent media are indispensable to democratic governance, and partnerships such as this provide a pathway to greater resilience, collaboration, and trust.”
The launch, held at MTN’s Innovation Centre in Johannesburg, coincided with a visit from Nigerian journalists representing the MIP Alumni Association, symbolising the transition from a national programme to a Pan-African platform. The first cohort of fellows will begin in 2026.
MTN Group Fintech, Africa’s largest fintech platform by scale and reach, will be hosting its inaugural MTN Fintech Summit 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 9 to 11 September 2025.
Themed “Take-Off”, the Summit will convene 300 delegates from across Africa and beyond, including policy makers, regulators, fintech innovators, and industry leaders from our diverse markets.
The Summit represents a landmark moment in MTN Group Fintech’s growth, designed to spark collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and new commercial opportunities across Africa’s digital financial services ecosystem.
Serigne Dioum, CEO: MTN Group Fintech, said: “Our theme ‘Take-Off’ captures the essence of our current trajectory, a pivotal moment where strategic groundwork meets execution, and innovation meets scale. This inaugural summit underscores our commitment to the ever-growing pedigree of Africa’s fintech landscape. By bringing together leading innovators, regulators, and policymakers, we aim to shape inclusive and trusted digital financial systems that unlock new opportunities, uplift communities, and drive lasting socio-economic impact across the continent.”
Structured into two interconnected streams – a Regulatory & Policy Forum and a Commercial & Ecosystem Forum – the Summit will explore strategies to strengthen regulatory frameworks, deepen industry collaboration, and accelerate digital and financial inclusion.
The Summit will feature a series of high-impact sessions focused on advancing financial innovation and regulatory alignment across Africa. Key discussions will explore how regulators and fintech’s can unlock the full potential of cross-border remittances and float, the delicate balance between data sovereignty and regulatory compliance, and the need for harmonized oversight of Mobile Money Payment Service Providers (PSPs).
Nikiwe Tanga, Chief Legal Officer at MTN Group Fintech,added: “Our ambition extends beyond commercial objectives to include the advancement of sound regulatory and legal frameworks that support inclusive financial systems. This summit underscores MTN Group Fintech’s commitment to fostering trusted digital ecosystems that align with evolving legal standards and regulatory expectations. By facilitating dialogue, reinforcing compliance-driven partnerships, and promoting responsible innovation, we are contributing to the development of resilient financial infrastructures that uphold the rule of law and deliver sustainable value across Africa.”
The MTN Fintech Summit 2025 is set to become a cornerstone platform for Africa’s digital transformation journey, highlighting the critical role of fintech in bridging gaps in access, opportunity, and innovation.
