As part of a larger reorganisation to spur expansion, MTN Group has named Karl Toriola, the CEO of MTN Nigeria, Vice President (VP) of Francophone Africa, effective November 1, 2025.
Having been in charge of MTN Nigeria since 2021, Toriola will be in charge of some of the company’s most important Francophone markets, such as Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Congo Brazzaville. He is returning to familiar ground with his appointment: Before becoming the head of operations for Nigeria, MTN’s biggest and most lucrative subsidiary, Toriola held executive positions throughout Francophone West Africa. Toriola is still MTN Nigeria’s CEO. The change in leadership coincides with MTN’s review of its Ambition 2025 strategy in light of evolving macroeconomic, technological, and geopolitical conditions.
MTN will increase its attention to three key platforms: digital infrastructure, fintech, and connectivity, even though the Group board determined that the core priorities are still “relevant and appropriate.”
According to Ralph Mupita, the CEO and President of the MTN Group, in a statement on Monday: “These leadership changes illustrate the depth of talent and experience we have across the Group.
“The changes will support the accelerated execution of our strategy beyond 2025 as well as greater value creation for stakeholders over the medium term,” the CEO added.
The company’s finance department has seen other significant role changes. Tsholofelo Molefe, the Group’s Chief Financial Officer, will now be in charge of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), combining capital allocation and making sure that investment choices complement the Group’s long-term growth objectives as stated earlier by BrandSpur telecom and Information News Desk. This action tightens capital deployment discipline by placing M&A firmly under the finance portfolio. Previously serving as Senior Vice President of Markets, Ebenezer Asante will now oversee markets in Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, South Sudan, Sudan, Liberia, and joint ventures in Botswana and Eswatini. As Vice President of Ghana and Southern & East Africa, he assumes this updated position to strengthen Speedrations’ contributions and speed up growth.
Ferdi Moolman, a former CEO of MTN Nigeria and current Group Chief Risk Officer, has been named CEO of MTN South Africa. He replaces Charles Molapisi, who led the business through a difficult time when there were power outages and problems with network resilience. Yolanda Cuba, who assumes the positions of Deputy CEO and Executive Director of MTN SA, will assist Moolman in maintaining continuity and depth of leadership.
To accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence throughout MTN’s operations, Molapisi will resume his previous role as Group Chief Technology and Information Officer (GCTIO).
To bolster MTN’s connectivity backbone, Mazen Mroué will solely concentrate on the Digital Infrastructure portfolio, leading the charge on fibre expansion, data centre expansion, and collaborations with low-Earth-orbit satellite operators. By adding Strategy and Transformation to his current role as Group Chief Commercial Officer, Selorm Adadevoh will unify these vital tasks under a single leadership aegis. The current Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Chika Ekeji, will leave the executive committee as part of this reorganisation to concentrate on growing a few of MTN’s new ventures that complement the Group’s platform strategy.
MTN is getting ready for board-level transitions in addition to management changes. After Mike Harper retires in the first quarter of 2026, Sindisiwe (Sindi) Mabaso-Koyana will take over as MTN South Africa’s chairperson. The Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Paul Norman, will step down at the end of 2026, and a replacement will be announced by the middle of that year.
According to the company, these leadership changes demonstrate the breadth of its talent pool and will guarantee more seamless strategy execution after 2025. With Ambition 2025 nearing its next phase, Karl Toriola’s dual role as CEO of MTN Nigeria and VP of Francophone Africa places him at the heart of MTN’s continental growth playbook.
