MTN Ghana has deepened its engagement with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) through a stakeholder forum held at its Head Office in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. The dialogue created a platform for transparent discussions on critical issues affecting the telecommunications industry and Ghana’s digital future, with particular focus on accessibility, affordability, inclusivity, and service reliability.
The CSO Forum is part of MTN Ghana’s wider stakeholder engagement program aimed at strengthening collaboration, fostering trust, and driving collective solutions to challenges in the digital ecosystem.
In her opening address, Adwoa Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, described CSOs as indispensable partners in shaping national policy and ensuring accountability. She noted that telecommunications has become the “sector of sectors,” influencing almost every part of society including education, healthcare, business, and governance. She further emphasized that MTN’s ambition to lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress must be pursued responsibly, with sustainability at the core of operations.
Ms. Wiafe outlined some of the company’s sustainability initiatives, including the ban on plastic bottles in all MTN offices to minimize waste and the adoption of renewable energy sources, which now account for half of MTN Ghana’s energy use. These efforts, she explained, reflect MTN’s broader strategy of balancing business growth with environmental and social responsibility.
Speaking on network expansion, Reuben Opata, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Ghana, provided detailed insights into the company’s infrastructure investments. He revealed that MTN has invested over $1 billion in Ghana’s network to extend coverage and improve quality of service. However, he lamented the continued challenge of fiber cuts, which disrupt service delivery and cost the company millions each year. In 2025 alone, he disclosed, MTN has spent about $22 million repairing fiber cuts to maintain uninterrupted connectivity.
Mr. Opata reassured participants that MTN remains committed to continuous investment in infrastructure to ensure reliable service, despite the setbacks. He stressed that without fiber infrastructure, communication would come to a halt, describing it as the backbone of Ghana’s connectivity.
On the communication front, Mrs. Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Senior Manager for Corporate Communications, emphasized MTN’s pledge to maintain transparency and open dialogue with stakeholders. She explained that CSO input is essential in shaping policies and initiatives that improve affordability, enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities, and address pressing issues such as Mobile Money fraud. She added that MTN sees stakeholder collaboration not as a formality but as a strategic pathway to achieving inclusivity and customer trust.
CSO representatives actively engaged in the discussions, raising concerns about affordability of data and mobile services, the need for stronger consumer protection measures against Mobile Money fraud, and greater inclusivity for disadvantaged groups. Many stressed the importance of designing community-centered initiatives that would empower local populations to benefit fully from digital technology.
Also present at the forum were Mr. Samuel Bartels, Senior Manager for Regulatory and Government Affairs, alongside members of MTN’s Corporate Communications team and other staff.
The forum ended with a renewed commitment from both MTN Ghana and CSOs to sustain open dialogue and work hand in hand to bridge digital gaps, improve affordability, and make digital services more accessible to all Ghanaians.
Through this engagement, MTN Ghana reaffirmed its position as a key driver of Ghana’s digital transformation while underscoring the importance of collaboration with civil society in building a digital economy that leaves no one behind.
