Adia Sowho, an innovator in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector and a well-known business consultant, has announced her departure from the role of Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria.
Her tenure, which lasted approximately three years, was one of commendable achievements and growth for the company.
Before MTN, Sowho’s career has been characterized by her innovative approach and strategic leadership. She helped in building Etisalat Nigeria into one of the fastest-growing telecom companies of its time.
Her forward-thinking methods were apparent during her time with Migo, where she led instant lending and scaled the operation to offer 10,000 loans per day. She also led Thrive Agric from challenging times to being recognized as one of the Financial Times’ 20 fastest-growing companies in 2024.
Reflecting on her journey, Sowho expressed gratitude for the experiences and learnings gained at MTN Nigeria. “I have learned much in this role and am grateful to my team and colleagues for the experience,” she shared on her LinkedIn page.
Under her leadership, MTN Nigeria’s Consumer Business witnessed over 20% year-over-year growth, with a record 50% growth in the data business, and became the first Nigerian telecom to launch 5G technology.
Sowho has been highly important in MTN Nigeria’s growth, attributing her success to strategic partnerships and customer-centric initiatives.
She emphasized the importance of partnerships with OTT providers and OEMs to integrate customers into the digital economy, highlighting the balance between device financing access and designing compelling use cases.
Sowho also stressed the essence of serving a “Customer of One,” tailoring marketing strategies to individual customer behaviour and preferences, which allowed MTN Nigeria to offer timely and relevant propositions.
Her approach to breaking down silos within the company facilitated a culture of agility and innovation. In promoting transparency and collaboration, she enabled her teams to synchronize efforts, leading to quicker launches and iterations of customer propositions.
Sowho’s focus on logical clarity over tactical reporting, through prescriptive analytics, allowed the company to anticipate customer needs and optimize strategies proactively.
In her farewell message, Adia Sowho noted her heartfelt gratitude, especially to Karl Toriola, for recognizing her potential as a CMO. She leaves behind a legacy of ‘startup energy’ and a set of principles for her team to uphold.
Her departure is one with a sense of accomplishment and a huge impact on MTN Nigeria, setting new industry standards and achieving commendable feats.
Sowho now looks forward to the company’s continued success and the next phase of her professional journey, carrying forward the lessons and experiences from her tenure as CMO.
