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MTN Nigeria Named WTR’s Europe, Middle East and Africa Team of the Year

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MTN one of world’s largest mobile network operators, and the largest on the African continent with more than 280 million subscribers has  been named WTR’s Europe, Middle East and Africa Team of the Year.

The brand is well-known across the globe, however, thanks in part due to high profile sponsorships of organisations including the South Africa national rugby union team and English football club Manchester United.

While the company is active in over 20 countries, one-third of its revenue comes from Nigeria, where MTN holds approximately 35% market share.

For that reason, it is notable to see a company with such a well-recognised brand have a relatively lean IP function. Made up of an advisor, a manager and a general manager, the MTN Nigeria brand protection team maintains and enforces a trademark portfolio of just over 1,000 trademark registrations.

For many trademark teams, the covid-19 pandemic saw many major projects go on the backburner, but not so for MTN Nigeria.

As MTN Nigeria’s IP manager Obianuju Otudor reveals, while the health emergency had a significant impact, the IP department’s biggest challenge of the year was conducting a detailed audit of the company’s intangible assets. The audit had various specific objectives, Otudor adds, including:

  • To identify any risks to the company’s IP assets;
  • To identify unprotected IP and provide recommendations to protect these IP assets;
  • To ascertain the company’s ownership of IP used in its business;
  • To identify and eliminate IP infringement risks;
  • To identify opportunities for commercializing the company’s IP assets;
  • To deploy measures to protect the company’s investments in innovations;
  • To develop an IP strategy that aligns with the company’s overarching business objective.

As covid-19 spread into Nigeria, though, the team “ran an agile system of work” to ensure the audit could still be conducted without a hitch. “We ran our projects and other business operations seamlessly using technology,” Otudor says.

“However, there was a challenge in our external stakeholders stabilising to the ‘new normal’ and this initially posed a lot of delay in getting results at the speed our team had targeted, especially due to the government-ordered lockdown.”

By the end of the audit, numerous company-wide initiatives had been launched by the trademark team, including the creation of IP guidelines and an IP commercialisation strategy document.

On top of that, various business divisions were given IP awareness training, while various defensive trademarks were sought in Nigeria to ensure the company’s house marks are adequately protected against unauthorised use.

Furthermore, and perhaps the biggest sign of the company putting its brand at the forefront, the trademark department led celebrations of World Intellectual Property Day on 26 April – the first time that MTN Nigeria has marked the occasion.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the three-person team managed to evolve the company’s IP positioning significantly in 2020 – a point raised by numerous nominations the department received.

Of course, to do so required each person to be at the top of their game. When asked which qualities every brand professionals needs in their skills armory, Otudor listed many, including having integrity, reliability, a willingness to grow and learn, being calm under stress, being self-motivated, being competitive and being solutions-oriented.

Each of those skills was on full display last year by MTN Nigeria’s trademark team, and the results are standout in a year when so many IP departments had to overcome significant challenges.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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NigComSat Eyes $3Bn Annual Revenue – DG

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Jane Idehen, director-general of Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NigComSat), has said  that the organisation is projecting an average annual revenue of three billion dollars as it expands its scope of operations.

NigComSat Eyes $3Bn Annual Revenue – DG

disclosed this in Abuja at the July edition of DevsInGovernment MDA workshop series organised by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, with a focus on NigComSat.

The programme supported by Galaxy Backbone and World Bank was tagged: “Driving Operational Excellence through Technology at NigComSat.”

DevsInGovernment is a community that aims to create a group of technologists and tech enthusiasts within the civil service who are actively contributing to digital transformation across all government agencies.

The DG said that for NigComSat to grow, it had to explore new ideas and increase product life, which can lead to significant revenue increases.

“Currently we are projecting to average about three billion dollars in revenue year.

“If we can think about ideas, we can do more than that because if you can increase your product life, you can provide more solutions to problems,” she said.

She said that there were other revenue streams beyond broadcasting, which could double or triple the existing broadcasting revenues.

According to her, creating awareness about the programme’s services and solutions was crucial for its success.

Abiodun Attah, executive director of Technical Services at NigComSat, said the agency was charting a new course in its operations with a view to increasing its revenue earnings and serving the country better.

Attah said that one of the things the agency had done with the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) was to carry 2G, 3G, and 4G traffic in rural areas where there was no connectivity.

“In the past, NigComSat was shying away from going into enterprises; it was shying away from doing business outside the government sector.

“Now we have gone beyond that,” he added.


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Airtel Backs Global Hepatitis Fight with Health Education and Free Employee Vaccination

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As the world commemorates World Hepatitis Day, Airtel Nigeria is taking bold steps to combat the global health challenge by equipping its employees with knowledge and access.

Reinforcing its ongoing commitment to employee wellness and public health advocacy, the leading telecommunications and digital services provider hosted a companywide Health Talk and announced a free hepatitis vaccination rollout across its offices across the country.

This year’s health and wellness theme at Airtel, “Stay Aware, Get Tested, Vaccinated & Seek Treatment,” aligns with global efforts to eliminate hepatitis and underscores the company’s belief that well-informed, healthy employees are the foundation of a thriving organisation.

In collaboration with its healthcare partner, Leadway Health, Airtel Nigeria brought together staff from across the country for an educational session titled: “Healthy Habits, Healthy Liver: Ending Hepatitis Starts with You!” Led by esteemed medical consultant Dr. Obioma Anomneze-Chima, the session offered critical insights into the causes, symptoms, and prevention of hepatitis, along with practical lifestyle habits to safeguard liver health.

In his remarks at the programme, Airtel Nigeria CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, highlighted the company’s holistic wellbeing philosophy.

He said, “Our people are the heart of our organisation, and when they are healthy, they bring their best selves to work. We’re not just investing in employee performance; we’re investing in their complete wellbeing. From mental wellness to preventive healthcare, our programmes are designed to offer real, meaningful support.”

Speaking during the session, Dr. Anomneze-Chima emphasised the importance of proactive prevention and early testing, “Hepatitis doesn’t always announce itself; it creeps in quietly and can cause lifelong complications. Conversations like this help us catch it before it catches us. I applaud Airtel for giving its employees not just facts, but tools and access to protect their health.”

Director, Human Resources and Administration, Airtel Nigeria, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, noted that events such as the Hepatitis education and vaccination activity are a firm part of the company’s corporate mission. “This hepatitis campaign is a reminder that corporate responsibility goes beyond business metrics; it’s about actively participating in global health conversations and making a difference where it counts: among our people,” she added.

To sustain the impact of the educational talk, Airtel Nigeria is launching a free hepatitis vaccination programme across its premises, allowing employees nationwide to get vaccinated on-site with ease. This initiative reflects the company’s human-first approach to workforce wellness—prioritising both immediate care and long-term health security.

With this initiative, Airtel Nigeria once again demonstrates its leadership in advancing workplace wellness and health advocacy in the corporate sector. From supporting mental health through its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to promoting physical wellbeing with preventive screenings and vaccinations, Airtel is setting the standard for what it means to truly care for its workforce.

 


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MTN Nigeria Bounces Back with 414.9Bn Profit in H1 2025, Targets Full Recovery by Q3

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has reported robust financial and operational results for the first half of 2025, signaling a promising turnaround for the telecom giant amid improving economic conditions and strategic initiatives.

Karl Toriola, ceo MTN Nigeria, said the company’s performance reflected the successful execution of earlier strategies and a more stable business environment. “We are excited by the progress made in the first half of 2025,” he said, highlighting a 54.6 percent growth in service revenue and a remarkable recovery in profits.

MTN’s subscriber base grew to 84.7 million, adding nearly 4 million users despite regulatory changes limiting SIM registrations by third-party agents. Active data users reached 51 million, fueling a surge in data revenue, which rose by an impressive 69.2 percent.

The operator has been investing heavily to meet rising demand and improve service quality. Among its major projects is the $240 million Dabengwa Tier 3 Data Centre—West Africa’s largest—which was launched in July and promises to drive digital transformation for businesses across the region.

On the fintech front, MTN made solid strides by adding over half a million new digital wallets in Q2 alone. Customer deposits grew fivefold since December 2024, pointing to renewed confidence and expanding usage of MTN’s mobile money services.

Economically, Nigeria showed signs of recovery during the period, with the naira exchange rate remaining stable and inflation easing to 22.2 percent. These factors helped strengthen MTN’s financial position and allowed the company to renegotiate tower leases, resulting in significant cost savings.

As a result, MTN swung from a loss after tax of N519 billion in the first half of 2024 to a profit after tax of N415 billion this year. Free cash flow also improved, hitting N409.8 billion, which the company plans to leverage for further network investments.

Looking ahead, MTN Nigeria has raised its full-year guidance, targeting service revenue growth at least in the low 50 percent range and an EBITDA margin above 50 percent. The firm anticipates positive retained earnings and shareholders’ equity returning by the end of Q3.

The company also remains committed to nurturing tech talent and innovation in Nigeria, pledging over N3 billion to support skills development. An accelerator programme offering funding and mentorship aims to empower African startups and drive future digital growth.

Despite some regulatory and macroeconomic uncertainties, MTN Nigeria’s leadership expressed confidence in the company’s ability to adapt and deliver sustained value to shareholders and customers alike.


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