Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the MTN 30 Years Celebration Gala Dinner

Programme Directors,
MTN Group Chairman, Mr Mcebisi Jonas,
Members of the Boards and Executive Committees of the MTN Group and MTN South Africa,
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr Solly Malatsi,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Members of Parliament
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Guests,
Team MTN,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Y’ello. 

It is a great honour to celebrate with you three decades of the MTN Group.

For me, it feels like a homecoming.

The privilege of leading MTN as the Group Chairman was a challenging and immensely rewarding experience.

As a company, MTN has transformed the lives of millions of people in this country and across our continent of Africa.

In many ways, MTN’s journey mirrors the journey of South Africa’s democracy.

At the time of the transition towards democracy in the early 1990s, South Africa was among the most connected nations on the continent with over 3 million landlines.

Yet, as in almost every other area of life, access to telephony was severely unequal.

At the time, there were 60 telephone lines for every 100 white people. 

There was only one line for every 100 black people. 

In these circumstances, it took visionaries like the late Dr Nthato Motlana and Zwelakhe Sisulu to see the potential of mobile technology to close this gap. 

Others did not see the opportunity.

Some said that no more than 18 000 South Africans would want cell phones, and these would be mainly driven by business and wealthier customers.

The reality was very different.

South Africa cellphone companies reached a million subscribers within two years.

This spectacular growth was spurred by innovations such as prepaid, which South Africa was to introduce to the global community.

It was in this early period that the foundation for MTN’s unique culture was laid. 

It is a culture that is characterised by resilience, adaptability and a relentless drive to succeed. 

Over the past three decades, MTN has evolved from a small South African start-up of 20 employees into a global telecommunications leader which now employs over 17 500 individuals representing more than 70 nationalities across 18 diverse markets.

MTN’s many employees are united by a shared belief in the transformative power of technology. 

Distance is no longer the impediment it had once been.

Services can be delivered more cheaply and more reliably.

Very soon after its introduction, the cellphone became an important tool for social cohesion.

It helped to strengthen bonds between communities, family members and friends.

This new frontier of economic and social transformation has, in the main, been driven by the youth of our continent. 

The industry is a case study of how young Africans can drive innovation and growth.

They have pioneered new ways of working and new business models.

On this anniversary, we salute the early pioneers and all those who have since been at the forefront of leading Africa’s digital progress.

It is a poignant moment, for there are some who are no longer with us to celebrate these great achievements.

We remember with fondness and admiration the former CEO Sifiso Dabengwa, who passed away just a few months ago.

We remember Sifiso for his visionary leadership of this company and for his deep insights into the industry, the economy and, indeed, society.

We also remember the personal qualities that endeared him to so many: his integrity, his humanity and his quiet strength.

He has set an example for all those at MTN who have followed in his footsteps.

Colleagues and friends,

This evening, we recognise the contribution that MTN Group has made to unleashing the potential of African economies. 

We recognise its contribution to a better and more sustainable world. 

In countries like South Africa, MTN has sought to ensure that no one is left behind.

Its network reaches some 97% of the population, providing a foundation for digital inclusion and economic empowerment. 

The industry has helped to democratise public goods and services. 

It has enabled the provision of financial, health, education, social welfare and other service to the most far flung areas. 

We are told that by the end of 2025, there will be no less than 613 million unique subscribers in Africa. 

The mobile sector in Sub-Saharan Africa generated more than 140 billion US dollars of economic value last year. 

MTN is a big part of this growth story.

The group provides voice, data, fintech, digital, enterprise, wholesale and API services to 288 million customers in 18 markets.

MTN Mobile Money provides over 65 million individuals with access to financial services, driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved communities. 

It is almost impossible to imagine the Africa of today without the Y’ello team.

We know that this work has not been without difficulties. 

This is an industry that is affected by geopolitical developments and economic instability.

As a company with a presence in so many countries, MTN must operate in many different fiscal, policy and regulatory environments.

Over the years, MTN has become adept at managing and thriving in different markets.

The company has participated meaningfully in the various business forums we have arranged with other countries on the African continent – and indeed elsewhere in the world.

MTN has consistently encouraged and supported government’s efforts to strengthen trade and investment ties with other countries.

It has been generous in sharing its experiences and insights of different markets.

As MTN looks to its future, we are certain that it will make use of the great opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area.

There are few companies in South Africa that know the African continent better than MTN. We trust that it will forge a path that many others can follow.

As South Africa enters a new era in its democratic journey, so MTN begins a new chapter in its remarkable story.

As we work to improve the lives of the people of South Africa, we know that we can rely on the ingenuity, the industry and the commitment of the MTN team to support these efforts.

As we look to a future of peace, prosperity and hope, we should embrace the MTN clarion call of ‘doing for tomorrow, today’.

As we look to the future of our continent, we recall the words of Pixley ka Isaka Seme in his speech on the Regeneration of Africa more than a century ago:

The brighter day is rising upon Africa. Already I seem to see her chains dissolved, her desert plains red with harvest, her Abyssinia and her Zululand the seats of science and religion, reflecting the glory of the rising sun from the spires of their churches and universities. 

Her Congo and her Gambia whitened with commerce, her crowded cities sending forth the hum of business, and all her sons employed in advancing the victories of peace – greater and more abiding than the spoils of war.

In this vision, we see the future of our continent.

In this vision, we see the future of MTN.

May the next 30 years of MTN be as meaningful, as innovative and as successful as the journey of the last three decades.

I thank you.