MTN Ghana IPO
On 31 May 2018, MTN Ghana launched its initial public offering (IPO).[40] The IPO closed on 31 July 2019. A total of up to 4,637,394,533 ordinary shares of MTN Ghana, representing 35% of its equity was offered to qualifying applicants. This was part of the agreement between MTN Ghana and Ghana's National Communications Authority (NCA) in November, 2015 for MTN Ghana to deploy 4G LTE mobile services to its customers in Ghana.[41] Among other methods of payments, MTN mobile money was included as a payment option for the MTN share offer subscription. This was the first time mobile money had been used as a payment method in an IPO.[42]In December 2024, MTN appointed Stephen Blewett as CEO of MTN Ghana, succeeding Selorm Adadevoh, who moved to the position of Group Chief Commercial Officer. Blewett assumed the role on 1 April 2025.[43]
MTN Shuts Down Stores
On 23 February 2017, Nigerian protestors attacked a MTN office in Abuja, Nigeria as a counterattack due to violence targeted against Nigerians in South Africa.[44][45]
In September 2019 MTN began closing stores in Nigeria and some of their stores in Johannesburg, South Africa due to rioting, looting, and attacks on some of their facilities.[46][47][48][49][50][51]
Geoffrey Onyeama the Nigerian Foreign Minister stated at a press briefing on 4 September 2019, that MTN group along with Shoprite, stated that the targeted South African stores in Nigeria are "subsidiaries that are owned by Nigerians." And that "the property owned by Nigerians within Nigeria and the people working there are Nigerians."[52]
Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, reported that some of the South African companies that were attacked in Nigeria have Nigerian investors owning significant amounts of stakes, and Nigerian employees.[53][54]
MTN has stated that they will continue to do business in Nigeria.[55][56]
Services
In March 2019 MTN launched a WhatsApp channel to let its customers buy airtime and data bundles through the messaging app.[57] Customers can also check their balances and store their credit or debit cards in the app for future purchases. The service is provided by another South African company, Clickatell.[58]
In the same year, MTN launched a communication platform ayoba.[59]
Cyprus branch re-branding
MTN sold its Cyprus branch to Monaco Telecom for €260 million in July 2018.[60] It was later re-branded as Epic in June 2019.[61][62]
In December 2019, former Deputy Finance Minister of the Government of South Africa, Mcebisi Jonas, was appointed as the board chairperson of the company.[63]
Middle East exodus
In August 2020, MTN decided to sell its shares in Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen, and to divest its 49% minority holding in Irancell over time. The company's decision was based on the fact that their assets in the Middle East contributed less than 4% to group earnings in the first half of the year.[64] MTN Group has transferred its majority 82.8% shareholding in MTN Yemen to Emerald International Investment, thereby exiting the market.[65]
Sale of stake in Jumia
On 30 October 2020, MTN made public the sale of their shares in the e-commerce brand Jumia. The sale was worth 142.31 million dollars.[66]
MTN Mastercard Collaboration
In February 2021, the MTN Group partnered with Mastercard to ensure safe and secure global e-commerce payments of their customer base in 16 African countries. A Mastercard virtual payment platform, that is linked to MTN MoMo (Mobile Money) wallets makes this possible.[67]
Mobile Money spin-off
In March 2021, MTN CEO Ralph Mupita announced during the company's annual results call that the group was now considering spinning off its mobile money activities. "We see a separation and carve out of our fintech business as something that we have to do”.[68] In April 2021, he estimated the value of the group's mobile money arm to at least US$5 to 6 billion.[69]
