Nigeria slashes MTN N1.4Trillion fine as Nigeria’s CEO, Michael Ikpoki, resigns
The MTN Group has released the statement below announcing the resignation of its Nigerian CEO
just as the N1.4 trillion fine imposed on the company was slashed by the Nigerian Communications
Commission, NCC.
“MTN Nigeria’s CEO Michael Ikpoki and the head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Akinwale
Goodluck have tendered their resignations with immediate effect,” the company said in a statement
Thursday morning.
“They are replaced by Ferdi Moolman as MTN Nigeria CEO and Amina Oyagbola as its head of
Regulatory and Corporate Affairs. Mr Moolman was previously COO at MTN Irancell and most
recently CFO at MTN Nigeria. A Nigerian national, Ms Oyagbola also retains the position of MTN
Nigeria’s Head of Human Resources. She formerly headed regulatory affairs at the Nigerian
operating company.”
The company also said it has received a formal letter dated December 2 from the NCC informing it
that, “after considering the Company’s request, it has taken the decision to reduce the fine on the
MTN Nigerian business from the original N1,040,000,000,000 (One Trillion, Forty Billion Naira) to
N674 Billion Naira which has to be paid by 31 December 2015.”
The fine relates to the late disconnecting of 5.1 million MTN Nigeria subscribers in August and
September 2015.
The company also announced major restructuring.
Details of these two developments will come later in our subsequent updates.
However, read full statements below.
New operating structure and senior management changes
South Africa | 3/12/2015
Johannesburg – MTN Group has reviewed its operating structure with a view to strengthening
operational oversight, leadership, governance and regulatory compliance across its 22 country
operations in Africa and the Middle East.
To this end, the Group has resolved to re-implement its previous reporting structure. This will see
MTN Group restructured into three regions – namely West and Central Africa (“WECA”), South and
East Africa (“SEA”), and Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”). MTN has also made a number of
senior appointments to support this structure.
Effective 1 December 2015 Jyoti Desai assumed the new position of Group Chief Operating Officer
(“COO”). Based in Johannesburg, she reports to the Executive Chairman, Phuthuma Nhleko. Ms
Desai has 14 years’ experience at MTN. She has previously held the positions of Chief Information
Officer at MTN Nigeria, was COO of MTN Irancell and was recently seconded to support the
Nigerian country operations. Her replacement as Group Chief Technology and Information Officer
will be announced soon.
Two regional Vice Presidents (“VP”) have been appointed, also reporting to the Executive Chairman.
The VP for WECA is Karl Toriola, with Ismail Jaroudi the VP for MENA. The VP for SEA will be
announced soon.
Based in Nigeria, Mr Toriola has been at MTN for 10 years, having held senior operational roles at
MTN Group and MTN Iran. He was formerly also the Chief Technology Officer at MTN Nigeria and
CEO at MTN Cameroon.
Mr Jaroudi has been CEO of MTN Syria since 2006. Prior to this he held senior operational roles for
Investcom’s subsidiaries across the Middle East and North Africa.
Also reporting to the Executive Chairman is the new Group Executive for M&A, Matthew Odgers.
The former head of TMT for Africa & the Middle East and head of investment banking for MENA at
UBS, Mr Odgers led UBS’s overall relationship with MTN.
MTN Nigeria’s CEO Michael Ikpoki and the head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Akinwale
Goodluck have tendered their resignations with immediate effect. They are replaced by Ferdi
Moolman as MTN Nigeria CEO and Amina Oyagbola as its head of Regulatory and Corporate
Affairs. Mr Moolman was previously COO at MTN Irancell and most recently CFO at MTN Nigeria.
A Nigerian national, Ms Oyagbola also retains the position of MTN Nigeria’s Head of Human
Resources. She formerly headed regulatory affairs at the Nigerian operating company.
The search for the MTN Group CEO is underway and remains a priority.
Commenting on the announcements, MTN Group Executive Chairman Phuthuma Nhleko said: “This
revised structure and strengthened leadership will improve operational oversight and increase
management capacity. This will enable MTN to continue to realise its strategy and vision, while also
ensuring we achieve high governance standards and robust risk mitigation.”
With the financial year closing on 31 December 2015, the MTN Group will report its FY2015 results
in line with the former structure – namely for MTN Nigeria, MTN South Africa, Large Operating
Companies and Small Operating Companies.
Issued by MTN Group Corporate Affair
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reduces imposed fine to US$3.4 billion
equivalent and further cautionary announcement
South Africa | 3/12/2015
Shareholders are advised that, after further engagements with the Nigerian Authorities, the NCC has
reduced the imposed fine.
MTN has received a formal letter dated 2 December 2015 from the NCC informing the Company
that, after considering the Company’s request, it has taken the decision to reduce the fine on the MTN
Nigerian business from the original N1,040,000,000,000 (One Trillion, Forty Billion Naira) to N674
Billion Naira which has to be paid by 31 December 2015. The fine relates to the late disconnecting of
5.1 million MTN Nigeria subscribers in August and September 2015.
The Company is carefully considering the NCC’s reply, however the Executive Chairman Phuthuma
Nhleko will immediately and urgently re-engage with the Nigerian Authorities before responding
formally, as it is essential for the Company to follow due process to ensure the best outcome for the
Company, its stakeholders and the Nigerian Authorities and accordingly all factors having a bearing
on the situation will be thoroughly and carefully considered before the Company arrives at a final
decision.
Shareholders are therefore advised to continue to exercise caution when dealing in the Company’s
securities until a further announcement is made.

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