By Ntokozo Nkambule
Q: You have been the MTN Eswatini Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for 4 years. Can you please give us a brief background of your professional career?
A: The first company I ever worked for was the Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation (RES) where I did my apprenticeship just after completing high school at Mater Dolorosa High School. I spent 5 years at RES. While working at RES, I was also attending practical classes at the Eswatini College of Technology (ECOT). I also hold an engineering degree from the University of Botswana. Upon my completion, I was then employed by ECOT as a Lecturer. My journey with MTN Eswatini dates back to the year 2000 when I was employed as an engineer responsible for the network. I have been privileged enough to work for the company outside of the country, as in 2010, I was seconded to go serve in Guinea Bissau where I held the position of Chief Technical Officer. After a successful two-year stint in the aforementioned country, I returned to the Kingdom and held the same position. My international foray resumed again as I was seconded for the second time, however, this time I went to serve in South Sudan as the Chief Technical and Information Officer in 2014. But, I felt that I needed a change while I was in South Sudan, which is when I decided to come back home.
Q: Take us through your appointment as the CEO of MTN Eswatini. How did it come about?
A: The group went on an extensive recruitment drive, and I was among the candidates who were shortlisted for the position. Interestingly, at this point, I already had other offers outside of the country that I was considering, but after I got the news that I was appointed to this role, I had no choice but to take it, as it was a dream come true.
Q: Growing up, did you ever envision yourself being the CEO of a company of MTN Eswatini’s stature, and how has the experience been?
A: I have always been highly driven and always aspired to be in a leadership role one day. My goal has always been to serve the MTN Group in whatever capacity because this company has given a lot to me. I am a student of growth, I always encourage young people to keep growing professionally. Being the CEO of MTN Eswatini has been exciting, challenging, and stressful in certain instances, which is something I do not object to. I believe in life we must always be tested, as it is during these times that we realize our true potential. What I have learned is that one needs a good support structure when leading an organization of MTN’s capacity. It is also important to engage in healthy activities which reduce stress. Cycling and Golf have been that for me.
Q: What does it take for one to get to where you are today?
A: As stated earlier, what has led me to where I am is hard work, continuous learning and improvement, curiosity and just generally being optimistic about the future. People should not view challenges as roadblocks but more as opportunities, it is important to be open to new things, because that is the only way to grow. Imagine if companies did not innovate, their probability of success would diminish. Lastly, we must stay away from procrastination, many dreams have been killed by procrastination.
Q: MTN Eswatini is currently celebrating its Silver Jubilee, how important is this for the organization and what are some of the notable milestones that you are proud of?
A: Celebrating 25 years is very important to us when you consider our humble beginnings. Most people never gave us a chance, from economic and media commentators. What the company has achieved in this period is nothing short of extraordinary. When you look at our staff compliment today which sits at 184 you will appreciate the impact of MTN Eswatini on the local economy. In terms of achievements, there are many of them. One of our major milestones was in 2021 when we achieved a million customers. As stated earlier there are many achievements but one that is close to my heart is the MTN Employee Value Proposition which has seen MTN – investing in employees, exposing them to various MTN Group Markets. MTN prides itself in human development, as it stands we have emaSwati working all over the world because of the opportunities that have been presented to them by the company. Worth mentioning is that some of these employees hold senior positions in their respective companies.
Q: One of MTN Eswatini’s notable successes is its Mobile Money platform. The platform has been responsible for creating thousands of jobs and offering convenience, amongst other benefits. Do you believe MoMo still has growth opportunities, and if yes, where do you think the opportunity lies?
A: Momo has undoubtedly been one of MTN Eswatini’s biggest successes since we were established. The platform has transformed the lives of emaSwati, also creating thousands of highly successful entrepreneurs through our distribution network. You will agree with me that MoMo has over the past 10 years transformed how we transact as EmaSwati bringing with it convenience and safety. The advent of MoMo has played an instrumental role in enabling financial inclusion in Eswatini, ensuring that the previously unbanked populace is banked and has access to convenient financial services at the convenience of their homes.
One of the things we are most proud of when it comes to Momo is how instrumental the platform was during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic struck, the disbursement of government-related payments such as elderly grants became a potential nightmare. We stepped in and sorted the problem, which is something I feel is not celebrated enough. We continue to partner with the government to transform and digitize payments, saving EmaSwati time and money.
In terms of growth opportunities, there are several to exploit. Going forward we are looking at integrating with digital platforms and forging partnerships with other entities. We will be expanding our payment capabilities, and enhancing our bank tech offerings which encompass lending, and savings, and also introducing an investment tool for our customers. Another development that customers should look out for is the option of making payments through QR codes and APIs.
Q: Artificial Intelligence (AI) will undoubtedly disrupt several industries in the future. What does AI mean to MTN Eswatini and how are you looking at leveraging this technology?
A: Artificial intelligence will certainly play a major role in our operations going forward. We are already investing in AI solutions to ensure that we become more efficient in our service offerings. Worth stating is that at its core the MTN Group models agility and embraces innovative technologies such as AI and Cloud Computing. For instance, our Nigerian customers are now being assisted by Zigi, a Chabot powered by OpenAI, while our teams in South Africa are working with Siya, an AI Chabot designed to help our employees.
It is worth mentioning though that as much as we strategically invest in AI, we are mindful of potential threats and risks associated with it. This is why we are working on an AI safety policy that will guide us on risk management, ethical considerations, data privacy, and security. As much as we are expanding in these areas, we also keep a close eye on global AI developments and continuously seek new ways to boost revenue, streamline business operations, and allow our customers to benefit from AI.
Q: There are concerns about potential job losses, locally and globally, due to AI, what is your take on that?
A: I believe change and growth are inevitable in life. Innovation has always been a part of how human beings have evolved and organized themselves. I think AI will lead to certain job losses going forward but we must also appreciate that it will create new digital jobs. It is important that as a country we perceive AI as an opportunity more than looking at it as a threat. Having mentioned that, we must also appreciate that most emaSwati are not fully capacitated when it comes to technology, which is why MTN Eswatini is playing a significant role in the development of digital skills for digital jobs for the Youth of Eswatini. The MTN Skills Academy offers immeasurable access to free online digital courses – While we ensure that within MTN we develop future-fit skills, we have also extended this approach to the rest of the country to create a digitally savvy future workforce that will embrace and leverage technologies such as AI for the sustainable economic growth of our beautiful Kingdom.
Q: The Company got the country excited when it launched the 5G Network in 2022. How has the progress been since the launch?
A: The Company is still undergoing its Proof of Concept (POC) to evaluate the market appetite and business case to evaluate the viability of 5G due to the high cost of deployment. We have deployed two 5G base stations in the country, and we are using them to assess the use cases of the 5G network. We believe that the 5G network is ideal for industrial purposes or businesses that require high speed such as commercial banks. As things stand, we are monitoring the use cases and where we can adequately deploy the 5G network. What I can confirm is that we will be deploying more 5G base stations in a year or two.
Q: You have stated in several conferences that data is the new oil, which emphasizes its importance for MTN Eswatini. Is there still space for voice or do you anticipate data to continue growing?
A: The Voice-calling business remains essential. It is the bedrock of communication, particularly in Eswatini. While we cannot deny the prominence of data and how essential it is for emaSwati, voice remains integral and central to the local economy. Having mentioned all that, we project the use and demand for data to grow steadily in the years to come. Our lives have become digital in all forms, our children are digital natives, and work and school have become digital. Other factors that will see data usage grow exponentially in the next few years include the availability of affordable phones, more content made available online by various players, and the demand for data that will continue to surge.
Q: EmaSwati still struggle to access data due to high costs. MTN is usually at the centre of this conundrum. What are you doing to try to alleviate this challenge for emaSwati?
A: This is quite a sensitive topic and we understand why that is the case. Our customers must, however, appreciate that our pricing is driven by the cost of production and we review our pricing whenever there are opportunities to make adjustments. We have, however, introduced measures that mitigate the price issue. Over the past 12 months, our effective price per GB has dropped by double digits due to the introduction of more affordable data and combo offers. We are pleased with the positive response we have received from our customers on our recent data price review which has seen customers receiving more value for less in our Doing4U campaign. MTN prides itself on a superior and reliable network achieved through ensuring that we align with international standards and constant upgrades to ensure positive customer experience and value for money.
Q: MTN Eswatini has been intentional about empowering emaSwati, through supporting SMEs, what motivates this drive?
A: Small businesses are central to the country’s economy and as MTN Eswatini we have made their growth a priority. SMEs are also major contributors to employment and their success directly impacts emaSwati. The services and solutions we provide to SMEs are meant to ensure that they continue to thrive. These are services such as Momo service, Microsoft Office Services, SIP Trunking, Ussd, and mobile advertising. Our efforts also align with global goals, such as SGD 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Our Local Content policy also guides us towards ensuring that SMEs are elevated through empowerment and 50% local spend. This is not only sustainable for MTN but for Eswatini as a whole.
Q: We have also noted the investment the company is making by empowering young girls in the ICT space. Why is this so important for the company?
A: We recognize the value of diverse and inclusive teams. Diversity of thought skills and experience drives innovation, which is essential to achieving our strategy and supporting our purpose. We are committed to attaining deliberate gender representation in our strategic programmes. We aim to achieve a minimum of 50% women representation and a minimum of 30% women representation in ICT roles, business transformations, upskilling programmes, and specialized initiatives that form part of Ambition 2025. We have also come to realize that diverse perspectives lead to better problem-solving, product development, and customer experiences.
Q: Finally, MTN Eswatini has also won the best network for consecutive years in the country. What is the next thing that the company would like to achieve, as you appear to have hit the ceiling?
A: The next best thing for us is to be the network of choice for value and service reliability and also lead the delivery of digital solutions in the country, in both the private and public sectors. MTN Eswatini also aims to accelerate the digitalization of government services in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Technology. The positive thing is that the discussions have already started with different government ministries, as we intend to use our infrastructure for the betterment of the country. MTN Eswatini is saying emaSwati should be able to pay for government services from the comfort of their home. We also intend to upgrade our rural connectivity to ensure that it is more reliable and faster. We do not only want to partner with the government but also with small businesses which is why we have introduced initiatives such as the ‘MTN Business Seminars’. This is meant to work closely with SMEs to unpack their pain points and innovate on solutions specific to their business needs.
We do not believe we have hit the ceiling because of the many opportunities that exist for telcos being voice and data services. We are venturing into the platform business and beginning to make significant strides as we diversify our portfolio. We owe our success to our valued customers who have supported MTN Eswatini over the past 25 years. It is for this reason that we have reviewed our strategy and placed Sustainability (ESG) at the core of our Ambition 2025 strategy which challenges us to be intentional about creating shared value in the markets we operate in. Our giving back to society has gone beyond CSI but further explores a holistic sustainability outlook. With ESG at the core, MTN is committing to net zero emissions by 2024, contributing to sustainable societies and ensuring sound governance. We have made significant strides in our diversity and inclusion objectives closing 2023 at 48% women representation. With local spending, MTN has reached 42% in 2024 and we are well on our way to ensuring that 50% or more of our procurement is through local suppliers, an achievement we are proud of.
Q: On that positive note, let’s wrap it up here CEO, thank you very much for your time.
A: It has been an absolute pleasure.