The Chief Finance Officer of MTN Nigeria, Modupe Kadiri, has disclosed that the company directed 62 per cent of the N2.7 trillion procurement expenditure spent in 2025 to local suppliers, up from the 9.6 per cent recoded in 2024.
He said the company also paid over $7.3 billion taxes into the Nigerian economy since its inception and invested over $3 billion in digital infrastructure.
Kadiri disclosed this on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the Nigeria South Africa Chamber of Commerce 2026 Breakfast Forum held in Lagos with the theme: “Building Local Content Together 25 Years of Shared Growth.”
According to the CFO, “when companies pay taxes, national institutions are supported; when infrastructure is built, economic capacity expands; when Nigerians lead businesses, professional capacity grows; and when Nigerians own shares, participation in wealth creation increases.”
Kadiri noted that the increase from 9.6 per cent to 62 per cent represented significant progress, noting that the remaining 38 per cent of procurement spending present a huge opportunity to strengthen local capacity, specifically in technology-intensive areas.
The CFO stated that most of MTN’s technology requirements are now fulfilled by local suppliers, unlike in the early years of the company’s operations when such requirements were largely handled by foreign contractors.
According to him, the first phase of telecommunications local content was largely driven by network rollout, site acquisition, distribution, civil works, marketing, support, logistics and operational services.
The CFO argued that the rise in local procurement should be measured by the extent to which such spending builds sustainable Nigerian businesses, skills, technology and employment, and not simply by the amount of money retained in the country.
He explained that MTN Nigeria’s increasing reliance local suppliers had created commercial demand that encouraged indigenous businesses to improve quality, enhance governance, employ more Nigerians and invest in equipment, technology and specialised skills.
“The real measure is not the invoice. The real measure is actually the capability that remains in the economy after the investment is made,” he said.
Kadiri stressed some categories remain difficult to source locally at scale because of the highly technology-dependent nature of the telecommunications industry.
He identified telecommunications equipment, devices, software and specialised technologies as areas where Nigeria still needs to develop greater domestic manufacturing and technical capacity.
The CFO, however, noted that the challenge was not necessarily a failure of local content policy but an opportunity to move the sector into a more sophisticated phase of local production.
Kadiri said the next phase should focus on higher-value activities, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data centres, fibre, 5G, cybersecurity, software, digital content and other technology solutions.
Highlighting the scale of MTN’s Nigerian operations, Kadiri said the company had grown from its early years to over 92 million lines, recorded over 55.7 million active data users, with about 433,000 kilometres of fibre network and two million Nigerian touchpoints covering direct, indirect and distribution channels.
He said the network had become critical infrastructure supporting other areas of the economy, noting that connectivity now supports classrooms, newsrooms, clinics, logistics companies, content creators and small businesses, allowing them to access customers, financial services, digital platforms and wider markets.
Kadiri stressed that Nigeria must develop the ability to manufacture more telecommunications equipment locally rather than relying heavily on imported technology.
The CFO added that the country must also develop the capacity to write software, build AI systems, host data, protect critical infrastructure and develop technology solutions that can be deployed across Africa.
According to him, technology was lowering barriers to entry and creating opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs to participate in areas such as AI, cloud computing, data centres, cybersecurity and digital services.
While reflecting on MTN’s 25-year presence in Nigeria, Kadiri said the company’s journey was not simply about the expansion but how Nigerian businesses, capabilities and ownership developed alongside it.
To sustain the progress, Kadiri said Nigeria would need genuine policy support, patient capital, skills development, quality education, responsive supply systems and stronger commitment from businesses.
The CFO said the bigger question after MTN’s first 25 years in Nigeria is not merely what has been achieved, but what capabilities the country can build over the next 25 years.
He added that said the country must move from being primarily a market for technology to becoming a producer and exporter of technology across Africa.