South Africa’s MTN Group has crossed a historic milestone of 300 million subscribers, a landmark achievement that underscores the company’s pivotal role in powering connectivity and digital inclusion across Africa — with Nigeria, its largest market, providing a significant share of that growth.
The announcement came at the Group’s Ambassadors Appreciation Dinner held on Wednesday, which brought together diplomats, policymakers, and business leaders from across Africa to celebrate collaboration and investment toward advancing the continent’s digital transformation.
MTN: A milestone three decades in the making
Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO, described the achievement as a testament to three decades of relentless effort to connect people, communities, and businesses across Africa.
“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,” Mupita said.
He noted that Africa’s time has come to take charge of its socioeconomic destiny through innovation and self-reliance, urging governments and private stakeholders to work together to strengthen local capacity and resilience amid global geopolitical uncertainty.
With over 89.64 million active mobile lines as of August 2025, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN Nigeria, MTN’s local business unit, remains the Group’s largest and most profitable market. The figure represents 52.31% of Nigeria’s 171.35 million total active GSM connections, further cementing MTN’s dominance in Africa’s most competitive telecoms landscape.
MTN Nigeria at the heart of parent’s growth story
With over 89.64 million active mobile lines as of August 2025, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN Nigeria, MTN’s local business unit, remains the Group’s largest and most profitable market. The figure represents 52.31% of Nigeria’s 171.35 million total active GSM connections, further cementing MTN’s dominance in Africa’s most competitive telecoms landscape.
By comparison, Airtel Nigeria accounted for 33.89% (58.07 million subscribers), Globacom held 12.21% (20.91 million subscribers), while T” (formerly 9mobile) trailed with 1.59% (2.73 million subscribers).
MTN Nigeria remains its parent company’s largest and most profitable operation, contributing significantly to its overall revenue, customer base, and innovation footprint.
Since its commercial launch in August 2001, MTN Nigeria has not only transformed mobile connectivity in the country but has also led the charge in mobile money, broadband expansion, and digital inclusion efforts that have redefined Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape.
The company’s local initiatives, including Y’ello Boxes and MoMo Market Storms, received special recognition during the appreciation event for deepening access to digital and financial services among women, traders, and small business owners in underserved communities.
These innovations, which combine connectivity with empowerment, have positioned MTN Nigeria as a key enabler of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and the broader vision of an inclusive digital Nigeria.
MTN Group’s 2025 Y’ello Care campaign, themed “Connecting at the Roots: Connecting communities through the use of digital tools,” embodies the telco’s mission of driving progress through innovation and people-centered development.
According to Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, the campaign demonstrates how collaboration and digital tools can transform lives at the grassroots level.
“Y’ello Care,” Morafo says, “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.”
This year’s campaign showcased diverse projects across MTN’s markets:
- MTN Eswatini was honoured for its Government in Your Hand initiative integrating MoMo to enhance e-governance and public service delivery.
- MTN Cameroon received recognition for establishing community digital centres that empower citizens to co-create local solutions.
- MTN Uganda won for deploying solar-powered health centres, computer labs, and vocational training hubs that expand access to connectivity and skills.
- MoMo, MTN’s financial services platform, earned the inaugural Platform Business Award for advancing digital and financial inclusion through entrepreneurship and technology-enabled health solutions.
He highlighted how MTN’s journey from its first call in South Africa in 1994 to connecting “families in Johannesburg, entrepreneurs in Lagos, students in Uganda, and farmers in Zambia” represents more than network growth — it reflects a mission to empower lives through connectivity.
From 120 Million to 300 Million: MTN’s journey of impact
Reflecting on MTN’s growth trajectory, Ricardo Varzielas, Chief Financial Officer at Bayobab Group (MTN Digital Infrastructure), shared a deeply personal perspective in a LinkedIn post.
“When I joined MTN back in September 2010, our footprint served around 120.9 million customers across the countries where we operate today,” Varzielas wrote.
“Fifteen years later, reaching 300 million customers by September 2025 is more than a number — it’s a symbol of impact.”
He highlighted how MTN’s journey from its first call in South Africa in 1994 to connecting “families in Johannesburg, entrepreneurs in Lagos, students in Uganda, and farmers in Zambia” represents more than network growth — it reflects a mission to empower lives through connectivity.
“It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to be part of this story — one built by thousands of dedicated colleagues, engineers, and customer champions across 16 markets, united by a shared purpose: to enable every African to participate fully in the digital economy,” Varzielas added.
Mupita expressed gratitude to Africa’s diplomatic corps for supporting an enabling environment that encourages sustainable investment and innovation. He reiterated that achieving Agenda 2063—the African Union’s blueprint for inclusive growth—will depend on collaboration between the public and private sectors.
“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,” he said.
As MTN Group celebrates its 300 million-customer milestone, the company’s trajectory reaffirms that Africa’s connectivity story is far from complete. And at the heart of that story remains Nigeria, the cornerstone of MTN’s ambition to lead digital transformation across the continent.
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