MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola expands role to oversee Francophone Africa operations

MTN Group has announced that the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola will take on additional responsibilities as Vice President of Francophone Africa. This expanded role, effective 1 November 2025, positions Toriola to drive growth across key markets including Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Congo Brazzaville while maintaining his leadership of Nigeria operations. 

The appointment comes as part of MTN Group's broader organizational restructuring aimed at streamlining its operations and enhancing regional focus. Mr. Toriola's deep understanding of African telecom markets and his prior experience in Francophone Africa make him uniquely qualified to lead this strategic expansion. Under his dual role, MTN aims to consolidate its market leadership in Nigeria while accelerating growth in Francophone territories through targeted investments and operational synergies. 

MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita emphasized the importance of this leadership adjustment in executing the company's Ambition 2025 strategy.

His current appointment reflects MTN's confidence in his ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and drive digital inclusion across diverse markets. Since assuming leadership of MTN Nigeria in 2020, he has steered the operation through significant challenges including regulatory reforms and macroeconomic pressures, while maintaining the company's position as Nigeria's largest mobile network operator. 

The Francophone Africa portfolio represents a critical growth engine for MTN Group, with markets showing strong potential for increased data penetration and fintech adoption. Toriola's mandate will focus on optimizing market share, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing customer experience across these territories. 

This leadership consolidation forms part of MTN's broader strategic pivot to three core business platforms: Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure. The Group's restructuring also sees other key executive changes including the appointment of Ferdi Moolman as MTN South Africa CEO and the expansion of Tsholofelo Molefe's responsibilities as Group CFO to include mergers and acquisitions oversight. 

By:   Nana Appiah Acquaye