MTN Group appoints Ikenna Ikeme as Executive for Group Regulatory Affairs

MTN Group has announced the appointment of Ikenna Ikeme, the current General Manager of Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria, as Executive for Group Regulatory Affairs, effective 7 September 2026.

The appointment is part of two internal executive changes announced by the telecommunications group as it strengthens its leadership capabilities and accelerates the execution of its Ambition 2030 strategy.

According to a statement from the Group, Ikeme will move from his current role at MTN Nigeria to take on a group-level regulatory leadership position, where he will oversee the company’s regulatory agenda across its markets.

He brings more than 30 years of experience spanning telecommunications, banking and insurance, with expertise in regulatory affairs, public policy, compliance, stakeholder engagement and business transformation.

What they are saying

The Group noted that at MTN Nigeria, Ikeme has been involved in several major regulatory initiatives that have shaped the company’s operations and the broader Nigerian telecommunications industry.

His experience includes supporting regulatory approvals for spectrum transactions, national roaming arrangements, 5G licensing, infrastructure sharing and partnerships involving mobile virtual network operators.

He has also contributed to the development of regulatory frameworks designed to support industry growth while protecting the interests of consumers and other stakeholders.

• “In his new role, Ikeme will provide strategic leadership across the MTN Group’s regulatory agenda, working closely with the Group Legal and Regulatory Affairs office and teams across MTN’s markets.
• “His responsibilities will include strengthening regulatory governance, managing regulatory risks, driving policy advocacy, supporting strategic business initiatives, and fostering strong relationships with regulators and key stakeholders,” MTN stated.

Ikeme’s qualifications

Ikeme is a qualified Barrister at Law and holds an MBA from Enugu State University of Science and Technology.

He also completed the Advanced Management Programme at MIT Sloan School of Management and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional for Europe.

MTN said his extensive experience in navigating complex regulatory environments positions him to provide strategic support to the Group as it executes its priorities across its various markets.

Tiwary moves to lead Francophone markets

Alongside Ikeme’s appointment, MTN Group announced that Ashutosh Tiwary will become Operations Executive for Francophone Markets from 1 September 2026.

• Tiwary has more than 27 years of telecommunications leadership experience across Africa and India and has held several executive positions within MTN.
• He previously served as General Manager, Prepaid Consumer Business at MTN South Africa and as Acting CEO of MTN Guinea Bissau, where he was tasked with turning around the business and supporting its eventual portfolio optimisation and sale.

In his most recent role as General Manager, Customer Operations, Tiwary worked with MTN Group’s Home Broadband Business team to build and scale customer operations through operational excellence programmes.

In his new position, he will provide strategic and operational leadership across MTN’s Francophone markets, including Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Congo Brazzaville.

His responsibilities will include supporting strategic priorities, driving operational and commercial excellence, strengthening governance and enabling sustainable growth across the region.

MTN said Tiwary and Ikeme’s appointments will add further depth to its operational and regulatory leadership as the Group navigates an increasingly dynamic and competitive telecommunications environment across Africa.

What you should know

Ikeme’s appointment comes as telecommunications operators across Africa contend with increasingly complex regulatory requirements, policy changes and the need for stronger engagement with governments and industry regulators.

• Specifically, MTN Group is currently at the centre of regulatory scrutiny across markets, especially in Nigeria, where multiple regulators are raising questions and weighing decisions on the company’s plans to acquire IHS Nigeria.
• Nairametrics earlier reported that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has given its nod for the deal but with a condition.

FCCPC granted the approval for the Nigerian component of the transaction, subject to a gradual reduction of its ownership in part of the acquired business.