MTN Group reported its strongest annual performance to date in 2025, with service revenue rising nearly 25% to R218 billion and adjusted headline earnings per share up 67%. The pan-African telecoms operator also announced a new Ambition 2030 strategy built around three platforms: connectivity, fintech, and digital infrastructure.
The results, released on 16 March, cap a year in which MTN surpassed 307 million voice subscribers, 172 million data users, and 70 million Mobile Money customers across 16 African markets. Data traffic grew 27%, with average monthly consumption per user reaching 12.5 GB, up from 10.8 GB the previous year.
Fintech crosses $500 billion in transactions
MTN’s fintech division processed more than 23 billion transactions in 2025, with total transaction value exceeding $500 billion. The growth was driven by wider adoption of advanced financial services beyond basic transfers, reflecting the company’s push to build a full financial services ecosystem on its mobile money platform.
Nigeria and Ghana lead growth
MTN Nigeria lifted service revenue by 54.9% in constant-currency terms, while MTN Ghana grew 35.9%. MTN South Africa increased service revenue by 2.0% in a market it described as mature and competitive. Group EBITDA (before once-off items) reached R98.5 billion, up more than a third in constant currency, supported by R3.6 billion in expense efficiencies.
The board declared a dividend of 500 cents per share, up 45% from 345 cents in 2024, and announced a R6 billion share buyback programme.
Ambition 2030
Looking ahead, MTN unveiled Ambition 2030, which consolidates the company’s operations into three platform categories: connectivity (mobile and fixed), fintech (mobile money and financial services), and digital infrastructure (data centres, fibre, and towers, including the proposed acquisition of IHS Towers).
“We are hugely excited about Africa’s potential and are well-positioned to leverage our scale, footprint and brand leadership to capture the significant structural growth opportunities identified,” said MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita.
The company invested R38 billion in network infrastructure during 2025, expanding broadband coverage to more than 94% of the population across its markets and reducing the average cost of data for customers by 14%.
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