MTN boss Ralph Mupita Visits Nigeria

Nigeria as one of the company's "most important markets".

MTN group CEO Ralph Mupita is on his first working visit to Nigeria since taking office in September 2020, the company announced on Thursday.

Nigeria is the company's largest market and it where pan-African telecommunications firm has faced several challenges, including difficulty in repatriating cash. The company said in May it had struggled to take out R4.3 billion in dividends from Nigeria due to challenges securing foreign currency in that country.

The operator has also been impacted by the Nigerian government's directive to telecoms operators to register mobile phone users, amid concerns that unregistered SIM cards are being used by criminals and insurgents. The process slashed MTN's subscriber numbers, but the company said it had made good progress with the verification of users.

Mupita is accompanied by the group chief financial officer Tsholo Molefe on this three-day visit. The company said in a statement the leaders together with their Nigerian counterparts would be meeting with "select partners and key stakeholders in the country".

"This visit demonstrates MTN’s continued commitment to supporting the socioeconomic development of Africa’s largest economy," said MTN Nigeria chairperson Ernest Ndukwe.

Mupita, who was the company's chief financial officer before replacing his predecessor, Rob Shuter, described Nigeria as one of the company's "most important markets".

Comments

The FCT Minister–Soldier Standoff: A Test of Civil Authority and the Rule of Law

On November 11, 2025, Nigerians watched in disbelief as a video surfaced showing a tense confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a group of armed soldiers who blocked his convoy from accessing a disputed piece of land in Gaduwa, Abuja. The incident, brief but dramatic, was more than a moment of political theatre. It struck at the heart of a much bigger issue — the place of the military in a democracy, and the sanctity of civilian authority under the Nigerian Constitution. The Legal Position: Who Was Right? The Minister’s Authority Under Section 302 of the 1999 Constitution and the FCT Act , the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory exercises the executive powers of the President within Abuja. That means the Minister is not just a political appointee — he represents federal executive authority . His duties include overseeing land allocation, urban planning, and the enforcement of development control through the Federal Capital T...

Nigeria: On the Right of Self-Defence and Protection of National Sovereignty

The Federal Republic of Nigeria reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the maintenance of international peace and security, the respect for the sovereignty and political independence of all States, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Nigeria is a sovereign and independent nation. Our Constitution vests sovereignty in the people of Nigeria and mandates the Government to protect the territorial integrity and independence of our country. This sovereignty—recognised under international law and reaffirmed by our membership in the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)—is inviolable. The Government of Nigeria has observed with grave concern recent statements and actions that amount to a threat of aggression and possible violation of our territorial integrity. We remind all States that any such threat or use of force contravenes Article 2(4) of the Ch...

Kebbi’s 3 a.m. Withdrawal Shows Why President Tinubu’s Security Reforms Can’t Wait

When Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State revealed that security personnel deployed to vulnerable communities were withdrawn at 3:00 a.m.—just 45 minutes before an attack—Nigerians reacted with shock, anger, and a single question that refuses to disappear: Who gave the withdrawal order? It is a fair question. It is also one that may take time, investigation, and institutional honesty to answer. But the Kebbi incident exposes a deeper truth about security management in Nigeria: our command structure is too fragmented for a country battling multi-layered threats. And this, more than anything, validates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s push for a centralised, technology-driven, and accountable security coordination model. Nigeria’s security agencies—military, police, DSS, civil defence, intelligence units—operate in parallel lanes with overlapping mandates. State governors, despite bearing the title “Chief Security Officer,” have no legal authority over federal forces. This incoheren...

Edge Of The World

Search This Blog