MTN Nigeria reports high localization and major leadership appointment

MTN Nigeria has reported that its local workforce has reached 99.85 percent, contributing to the creation of over two million direct and indirect jobs across the country. This employment figure includes permanent staff as well as a network of trade partners, agents, and small-scale entrepreneurs such as SIM registration agents and airtime vendors.

The company’s indirect employment model is heavily driven by its fintech and mobile money platforms. These services utilize a decentralized network of agents to provide essential financial services, such as utility payments and cash transactions, to unbanked populations. This localization aligns with guidance from the Nigerian Communications Commission to enhance local content within the digital economy.

In a separate leadership development, Ikenna Ikeme, currently the General Manager of Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria, has been appointed as the Executive for Group Regulatory Affairs at MTN Group. Effective September 7, 2026, Ikeme will oversee the regulatory agenda across MTN’s African markets, focusing on regulatory governance, policy advocacy, and risk management as part of the company’s Ambition 2030 strategy.