Why our Nigeria’s executive team is 95% Nigerian – MTN

The Management of MTN Nigeria has said that its executive cadre was 95 percent Nigerian in line with its policy of robust local representation for economic sustainability and national pride.

Citing its recently published 2024 Annual Report, MTN Nigeria said it boasts a 95% Nigerian executive management team, far surpassing its closest competitors.

It said that “In an era when local representation in corporate leadership is becoming increasingly important for economic sustainability and national pride, we have emerged as a clear leader among telecommunications companies operating in the country.”

Of the company’s executive and board leadership, MTN Nigeria reports that 11 out of 15 board members are Nigerian, including its Chief Executive Officer, Karl Olutokun Toriola, and Chief Financial Officer, Modupe Kadri, alongside several other executive directors. This makes the company’s executive leadership not only the most indigenised among Nigeria’s major telcos but also one of the most diverse in terms of gender and regional representation.

Why local representation matters

The company said that it’s localisation strategy is not mere window dressing. The company reports employing over 1,847 Nigerians directly, and impacting over 2 million through indirect and trade partner roles. In a country with youth unemployment exceeding 33%, these numbers translate to critical socioeconomic value.

According to Ernest Ndukwe, MTN Nigeria chairman, “We are proud to say that the MTN ecosystem has directly or indirectly created employment for more than two million people while supporting the livelihood of people across the country.”

Industry analysts say MTN’s leadership model offers an instructive example of how multinationals can thrive while integrating into their host economies. “The quality of MTN’s local talent pool is not only deep but also diverse—both by region and gender,” Olatunji Ojo, a Logos-based analyst, said.

Ojo further said: “They’ve built a structure where Nigerian executives are not figureheads but core strategists. MTN’s success can be linked to its deliberate approach of ensuring Nigerians lead the strategic direction of its operations in Nigeria.”

Read also: MTNN, others spur NGX highest daily gain of N1.2trn

Diversity at the core

Beyond nationality, MTN’s gender and professional diversity also sets it apart. Women now make up 41.4 percent of MTN’s workforce, with 46.7 percent representation at the executive management level. This is well ahead of both industry and national averages, and MTN continues to invest in women-focused leadership development programmes like the MTN Women in Tech initiative and Y’ello Mums Internship.

MTN Nigeria was the first telecoms company in Nigeria to achieve ISO 37301:2021 certification for corporate compliance management, highlighting its commitment to transparent and ethical governance.

Why it matters

In a telecommunications industry still dominated by expatriate influence and opaque corporate practices, MTN Nigeria’s 95percent Nigerian executive composition stands out.

“We just want to send a clear message to stakeholders—from government to customers and regulators—that localisation, diversity, and inclusion are not just buzzwords but central to sustainable business leadership.

“As the Nigerian government intensifies calls for deeper local content across sectors, our executive structure could well become a reference point—not just for telecoms, but for multinationals in every industry operating within Africa’s largest economy,” the company stated.