MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has been featured in a newly published case study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), highlighting how leading companies are advancing gender equality through practical, business-led actions under its Nigeria2Equal programme.
The case study spotlights MTN Nigeria’s transformation into a top performer in workplace gender equality following its participation in the programme between 2021 and 2023.
During this period, the company moved from 13th position to become the top-performing organisation from 30 most capitalised companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group. The report was based on an independent assessment conducted by Equileap and verified by PwC.
In the IFC case study, Karl Toriola, chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, stated,
“A diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce is critical to the success and sustainability of our business. We are committed to promoting gender inclusiveness, equality, and empowerment internally as well as across our ecosystem to ensure that interventions are holistic and position women to thrive effortlessly. If we must narrow the gender gap and address the disproportionate representation of women in the private sector, I believe that business leaders and CEOs must disproportionately allocate resources to support women across all levels.”
Implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Exchange Group, the Nigeria2Equal programme is designed to reduce gender gaps across leadership, employment, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s private sector.
MTN Nigeria joined the initiative in 2021, making commitments across these areas while strengthening its broader advocacy for gender equality.
According to the IFC publication, MTN Nigeria built on its existing diversity and inclusion framework by adopting a more structured and data-driven approach to gender equality.
With IFC’s advisory support, the company undertook diagnostics to identify gaps, introduced targeted policies, and aligned its practices with global standards.
A major milestone outlined in the report is MTN Nigeria’s attainment of the EDGE MOVE certification in 2023, a globally recognised benchmark for workplace equity.
This achievement made it the first wireless telecommunications company in Africa and the second organisation in Sub-Saharan Africa to reach this level, reflecting progress across leadership representation, pay equity, organisational culture, and flexible work policies.
The case study also details a range of initiatives implemented by the company, including targeted recruitment and promotion of women, strengthened mentorship programmes, expanded parental leave policies, and deliberate efforts to increase the participation of women-led businesses within its value chain.
These actions contributed to measurable improvements in female representation, including achieving gender balance at the executive level.
Beyond internal policies, MTN Nigeria expanded its role in advancing gender equality through advocacy and transparency.
The company became a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles and now reports gender-focused initiatives and targets in its annual disclosures.
The IFC case study positions MTN Nigeria as an example of how sustained leadership commitment, independent assessment, and measurable actions can drive meaningful progress on gender equality within the private sector.
MTN Nigeria says it will continue to build on this momentum, with a target of achieving a 50:50 gender balance across its workforce by 2030, while deepening efforts to create inclusive opportunities for women across its operations and ecosystem.
