"I'm an African": Why MTN says migration matters to South Africa's digital future

As South Africa's migration debate reaches a fever pitch, MTN Group, Africa's largest telco, is making a powerful statement that goes beyond politics. For the telecoms giant, the stakes are personal, and business-like. With a customer base of 312.7 million across 19 markets in Africa and the Middle East, MTN's growth has been driven by the free movement of skills and businesses across the continent. But with rising hostility targeting African migrants, MTN is warning that this trend could have devastating consequences for its business.

At the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation's Winter Seminar, MTN executives made the case for open borders, arguing that Africa's future depends on creating economic opportunity, expanding digital connectivity, and allowing skills and talent to move freely across the continent. For MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita, the issue is not just about politics, it's about building economies that match mobility with opportunity. "People move because opportunity is unevenly distributed," he said. "The defining question is whether we can build economies in which mobility is matched by opportunity."

Mupita's own migration story is a powerful reflection of MTN's pan-African journey. As a migrant himself, 35 years in South Africa, Mupita framed his story as part of MTN's identity. "I'm an African," he said, recalling his surname, Mupita, which means "the one who moves from place to place." His relatives are scattered across Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Angola, evidence of the fluidity of African identity and the need for open borders.

MTN's warning is not just about the business implications of anti-immigrant sentiment, it's about the human cost. As South Africa witnesses months of attacks on foreign-owned businesses, forced evictions of migrants, and growing anti-immigration rhetoric, the consequences are dire. For a company that has built its growth on connecting Africans across borders, these developments are impossible to ignore. The evacuations of citizens from MTN's largest markets, Nigeria and Ghana, are a stark reminder of the crisis unfolding in South Africa.

MTN's bold move is a wake-up call for African leaders and businesses. As the continent's largest telco, MTN's success depends on the free movement of skills and businesses across Africa. If the trend of hostility towards African migrants continues, the consequences will be far-reaching, and devastating. I predict that MTN's stance will be a catalyst for a new wave of African businesses that prioritize pan-African integration and open borders. The future of African business depends on it.

For MTN, the stakes are high. With 312.7 million customers across 19 markets, the company's growth has been driven by the free movement of skills and businesses across the continent. But with rising hostility targeting African migrants, MTN's business model is under threat. The company's executives are not just making a business case for open borders, they're making a personal appeal to African leaders and businesses to prioritize pan-African integration and open borders. For MTN, the future of Africa's digital future depends on it.