For 18 years, from 2001 to 2019, Dr. Pascal Gabriel Dozie (PGD, as he was fondly called) served as the Chairman, MTN Nigeria.
He led with strength and conviction. His presence on the Board was unifying. He championed good governance, corporate responsibility, and long-term value, deeply committed to the greater good. In challenging times, he remained a stabilising force.
Karl Toriola, the CEO of MTN Nigeria in a tribute to the pious leader, remembered some of his (Dr. Dozie’s) landmark contributions;
1. MTN Foundation
Dr. Dozie championed the incorporation of the MTN Nigeria Foundation in 2004, signaling the telco’s commitment to dedicating a percentage of profit after tax to social investments;
As part of its ongoing investment in education, the MTN Foundation has awarded 14,728 scholarships in the past 15 years, worth over NGN3 billion.
2. MTN Switching Centres
He fully backed the management team towards the launch of one of Africa’s largest switching centres in 2010. Presently, MTN has a switching center in Ojota, and another one in Ikoyi, Lagos, which are data centers that host servers and IT infrastructure.
3. Resolution of tax issues
MTN Nigeria’s often impressive profit margin faced threats on two fronts as earnings were hit by a weak naira and a tax demand threatens from the tax authorities.
There was a technical disagreement between MTN and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as to how $1.04 trillion Fine should be treated for tax purposes. However, Dr. Dozie played “significant role in 2015 during critical conversations around the regulatory fine and its resolution”, Toriola wrote.
4. 3G Feature Phone
In 2018, MTN, in partnership with KaiOS Technologies, China Mobile, and UNISOC, introduced Africa’s first 3G feature phone, codenamed the “MTN Smart”.
The device was launched to provide affordable connectivity in Africa, initially in Nigeria and South Africa, and later in other MTN markets.
5. MTN listing on Nigerian Exchange
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc was listed on the Premium Board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange by introduction on May 16, 2019.
Following the successful listing, MTN Nigeria became the first Mobile Network Operator to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
“His unwavering belief in Nigeria’s potential and his dedication to its development were truly inspiring. His leadership at MTN Nigeria laid the foundation for our success, and his legacy will continue to guide us in the years to come,” Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.
