The MTN Nigeria has declared its commitment “to protecting our planet by achieving net zero emissions by 2040,” adding that it attained 11 per cent reduction in fuel consumption in 2024.
It made this declaration during the presentation of MTN Nigeria’s “Facts Behind the Sustainability Report,” at the Nigerian Exchange Group House, Lagos.
It said: “We are committed to driving digital and financial inclusion and diverse society.
“We are committed partners and stakeholders to creating and protecting value.
“We are committed to boosting inclusive economic growth on the continent.”
The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer (CCSSO), MTN Nigeria Plc, Mr. Tobe Okigbo, who presented the report said that MTN Nigeria connects millions of customers, enabling seamless communication, robust internet connectivity, and digital solutions that power businesses and enhance lives across varying customer needs and preferences.
“Across the nation, from metropolis to remote villages, we are expanding our extensive footprint, staying true to our commitment to bridging the digital divide. Through innovative solutions and robust network infrastructure, we are driving inclusive connectivity nationwide,” he said.
Okigbo also said that MTN Nigeria is partnering with NIMET to make sure that everyone that has a phone will be able to get real time weather report. “This will be so precise that you can actually tell a farmer the particular day he should be planting tomatoes,” he said.
According to him, the telecom’s 2024 ESG performance highlights included 194 solar-powered rural telephony sites, 1,004,650.5 total energy consumption (GJ), 93.0 per cent network coverage, 90.1 per cent broadband penetration.
The highlight also showed strides advances by MTN Nigeria in gender inclusion in the workplace, which included 41.4 per cent female representation, 216 new hires made up of 139 females and 77 males. In addition 87.7 per cent of the workforce is below 50 years while 41 employees are those living with disabilities (PWD), representing 2.2 per cent of its workforce.
The report further revealed that MTN Nigeria relied on local suppliers for 59.6 per cent of its procurement, paid N764.2 billion as taxes and levies to government, spent N3.5 billion on Corporate Social Investment and fostered financial inclusion by capturing 2.8 million active MoMo wallets subscribers.
The report also highlighted that MTN Nigeria recorded 58.2 per cent smartphone penetration; maintained number one ranking among operators in the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as well as 3.6/4.0 risk insights ESG GPS Sustainability Rating and 79 per cent Reputation Index B- (in Climate Change) C (in Water Security) CDP Scores.
The report said that MTN Nigeria has fulfilled its “mandate as ‘Early Adopters’ by successfully releasing our IFRS S1 and S2 compliant 2023 Sustainability Report.
“Launched the first Eco-friendly SIM cards in West Africa.
“Conducted a Climate Scenario Analysis to develop short, medium, and long-term climate related risk management strategies to improve risk management, enhance transparency, and future-proof our operations.
“Executed the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge to birth innovative, long-term solutions and ideas to pressing environmental challenges and promote sustainability in Nigeria.”
According to Okigbo, MTN’s sustainability strategy is premised on a deep understanding of the material matters that shape our stakeholders’ perceptions and expectations.
“We utilise a rigorous materiality assessment process to identify, prioritise, and address the critical ESG issues affecting our business.
“Our approach considers actual and potential economic, environmental, and social impact, and evaluate them based on their significance, severity, likelihood, scale, reach, and probability of occurrence.
“Our material topics adhere to sector-specific GRI Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2 sustainability disclosure requirements. This ensures consistency with global reporting expectations, while enhancing transparency and accountability. Our highest governance body reviews and approves the final material topics, guaranteeing credibility and meaningful integration of stakeholder perspectives.
“Our materiality matrix provides a clear visual representation of the prioritised issues that shape our sustainability strategy, guiding our efforts to create long-term value for our stakeholders,” he said.
