Manager - Public Sector 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.

Job Identification: 5931

Mission

• The Manager - Public Sector is responsible for driving strategic engagement and commercial partnerships with federal, state, and local government institutions, parastatals, and donor agencies.
• This role is critical in positioning the fintech as a key enabler of digital financial inclusion, revenue collection, subsidy disbursement, and public service digitization in Nigeria.

Description
Strategic Engagement & Relationship Management:

• Identify, develop, and manage high-value relationships with key government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
• Serve as the primary liaison for public sector clients, managing all communication, collaboration, and account development initiatives.
• Represent the fintech at government events, procurement expos, committee meetings, and regulatory roundtables.

Business Development & Partnership Structuring:

• Drive acquisition of public sector clients for digital payment solutions, e-ID integration, payroll digitization, and conditional cash transfer systems.
• Lead proposal development, tender processes, and response to RFPs from public entities and development partners.
• Structure partnership models that align fintech products with government objectives like tax collection, grants disbursement, or digital identification.

Product Strategy Alignment:

• Work closely with the product and technology teams to adapt solutions to meet the specific requirements of public sector clients.
• Provide market intelligence on government needs, budget cycles, and regulatory trends to inform product design and go-to-market strategy.

Compliance & Regulatory Coordination:

• Monitor and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, procurement laws, and ethical guidelines when engaging public institutions.
• Collaborate with the legal and risk teams to draft MOUs, SLAs, and partnership agreements.

Thought Leadership & Advocacy:

• Actively contribute to public discourse on fintech and public service modernization through speaking engagements, whitepapers, and policy advocacy.
• Build internal business cases for new opportunities in education digitization, healthcare payments, subsidy programs, and state-wide ID-linked wallets.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Number of active public sector partnerships 
• Value of processed transactions or service contracts generated through public sector deals
• Speed to close new government accounts or pilots
• Number of strategic advocacy or visibility initiatives led per year
• Stakeholder satisfaction and retention rate across MDAs

Requirements
Education:

• First Degree in Public Administration, Political Science, Economics, Business Administration, or related field
• Relevant postgraduate education is an advantage.

Experience:
6 - 13 years’ experience which includes:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in an area of specialization; with experience in supervising/managing others
• Experience working in a medium to large organization 
• Deep knowledge of Nigeria’s public sector procurement ecosystem
• Understanding of government budgeting and planning cycles
• Exposure to financial technology products and public sector digital transformation use cases
• Strong proposal writing, deal structuring, and contract negotiation skills
• Strong networking, communication, and public speaking skills.

Method of Application