MTN Group recorded strong financial growth in the first half of 2026, with constant-currency service revenue rising 17.5% to R115 billion and EBITDA before once-off items increasing by nearly a quarter to R56 billion.
Growth was driven by strong performances from MTN Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon, while MTN South Africa recorded a 1.5% increase in service revenue.
The Group also advanced plans to acquire the remaining shares in tower company IHS Holdings, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to outstanding regulatory approvals. Under conditional approvals, MTN will sell a 30% stake in IHS Nigeria to local Nigerian investors.
MTN has also launched a share buyback programme involving approximately 31 million shares worth up to R6 billion. The programme forms part of its Ambition 2030 shareholder remuneration framework, which targets returning 40% to 60% of equity free cash flow through dividends and buybacks.
MTN invested nearly R20 billion in capital expenditure during the first half of the year to expand its mobile network, connect more homes and modernise its IT infrastructure.
As of June 2026, MTN served 317.7 million customers across 19 markets, including more than 179 million active data users. Its fintech business also expanded, with 70.8 million active Mobile Money users and transaction value increasing by more than a third to US$330 billion.
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita said strong commercial momentum across the company’s markets was translating into higher earnings, cash flow and shareholder returns.
Source : www. techafricanews.com
