Chief Information Officer - CIO at MTN Nigeria

MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group, Africa\'s leading cellular telecommunications company. On May 16, 2001, MTN became the first GSM network to make a call following the globally lauded Nigerian GSM auction conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission earlier in the year. Thereafter the company launched full commercial operations beginning with Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. MTN paid $285m for one of four GSM licenses in Nigeria in January 2001. To date, in excess of US$1.8 billion has been invested building mobile telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria. Since launch in August 2001, MTN has steadily deployed its services across Nigeria. It now provides services in 223 cities and towns, more than 10,000 villages and communities and a growing number of highways across the country, spanning the 36 states of the Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Many of these villages and communities are being connected to the world of telecommunications for the first time ever. The company\'s digital microwave transmission backbone, the 3,400 Kilometre Y\'elloBahn was commissioned by President Olusegun Obasanjo in January 2003 and is reputed to be the most extensive digital microwave transmission infrastructure in all of Africa. The Y\'elloBahn has significantly helped to enhance call quality on MTN network.

Division: Information Technology

Mission:

• This role is dedicated to leveraging digital transformation to position MTN Nigeria’s tech team as the industry leader, driving innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth as it builds a high-performing, multidisciplinary workforce motivated by initiative and collaboration, capable of seamlessly working across boundaries. 

Description:

• Architect and oversee the execution of an enterprise IT vision that integrates emerging technologies, including AI, IoT, hybrid cloud, automation, and edge computing, to position MTN Nigeria as a technology leader.
• Design and implement a robust IT strategy that aligns with MTN’s drive toward digital transformation, ensuring agility, scalability, and responsiveness to rapidly evolving market needs.
• Develop governance frameworks, policies, and procedures to guide IT operations, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, compliance, and delivery of high-quality services.
• Spearhead the adoption of innovative digital platforms, enabling cloud-native and microservices architectures to enhance operational agility and support a diverse range of digital services.
• Build a comprehensive IT risk management strategy, embedding cybersecurity, compliance, and business continuity into all processes to protect MTN Nigeria’s operations and reputation.
• Evaluate and ensure the deployment of modernized IT infrastructure, applications, and tools to support digital growth and operational resilience.
• Oversee the technical architecture of IT systems, ensuring relevance, flexibility, and the infusion of innovations to support MTN Nigeria’s transition to a TechCo.
• Establish a data governance framework that leverages data as a strategic asset, enabling data-driven decision-making and the creation of new revenue streams through analytics and AI.
• Monitor IT projects and operations to ensure resource availability, strategic alignment, and maximized return on investment from technology initiatives.
• Develop and manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Terms of Reference with technology providers and partners, ensuring alignment with the organization’s digital transformation goals.
• Implement advanced IT quality assurance and asset management systems, ensuring operational excellence and optimization of resources in a digital-first environment.
• Continuously review and refine metrics and KPIs to assess IT operations, aligning performance with corporate strategy and enabling informed decision-making.

Design the future operating model 

• Move from hierarchy/project/silos to agile product teams, platform thinking and cross-functional execution.
• Institutionalize ways of working (OKRs, product funding, platform SLAs).

Build an engineering culture 

• Drive ownership mindset, experimentation, rapid iteration, and intelligent risk-taking.
• Establish guilds/chapters, DORA metrics, and engineering excellence standards.

Operationalize competitive tech 

• Embed AI-driven decisioning into operations; treat data as a strategic asset.
• Implement automation to remove friction and scale productivity.

Shift IT from cost center to growth engine 

• Build scalable digital platforms; monetize data, AI, and digital capabilities.
• Reframe investment cases from cost to growth (ROI, payback, NPV).

Create ecosystems, not just systems 

• Establish API-first architecture and internal developer platforms to accelerate delivery.
• Lead change at an emotional level 
• Shape narratives, inspire belief, and role-model the culture of learning-fast.
• Lead the development of a comprehensive IT risk management strategy that mitigates vulnerabilities, safeguards digital assets, and ensures uninterrupted business operations.
• Oversee disaster recovery planning and execution at a strategic level, ensuring resilience and continuity of IT services during disruptions.
• Implement enterprise-wide cybersecurity measures, addressing evolving threats while maintaining compliance with national and global data protection regulations.
• Monitor and respond proactively to risks associated with technology obsolescence, regulatory changes, and geopolitical factors, ensuring alignment with MTN Nigeria’s strategic vision.

Education:

• First degree in Information Systems
• Accreditation in IT from a recognized body
• An MBA or a master’s qualification in a related field is required
• Fluent in English 

Experience:

Minimum of 12 years’ experience within a reputable and structured business environment 

• At least 5 years strategic management experience in a Telco or Digital Business
• At least 3 years’ experience in relevant sector/ industry 
• Experience working in a global/multinational enterprise with a good understanding of emerging markets 
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies.
• Proven track record of a start-up, shutdown and/or business improvement project

Method of Application