Ferdi Moolman’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN South Africa, effective November 1, 2025, is a strategic move designed to reignite growth and strengthen the company’s competitive position.
Moolman’s proven track record of navigating complex regulatory environments and driving profitability, particularly during his time as CEO of MTN Nigeria, makes him a key asset in addressing the challenges of MTN’s home market.
This leadership change aligns with MTN’s broader Ambition 2025 strategy, which aims to transform the company from a traditional telecommunications provider into a leading digital platform across Africa.
New Era of Growth and Innovation
Moolman’s return to a key operational role signals a renewed focus on execution and value creation in South Africa, a market that has been under pressure.
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita has been vocal about the need for MTN SA to become “much more competitive,” particularly in the prepaid and postpaid markets.
Moolman’s experience, coupled with the appointment of Yolanda Cuba as Deputy CEO, is expected to accelerate growth in two key areas:
Network Resilience and Leadership
Moolman’s predecessor, Charles Molapisi, focused on maintaining network leadership through a challenging period of power outages. Moolman will build on this foundation, with a new emphasis on operational efficiency and network monetisation.
This includes accelerating the rollout of fibre infrastructure and leveraging new technologies like AI to improve customer operations and network performance.
Digital and Fintech Expansion
Moolman’s leadership is seen as critical for advancing MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy in South Africa. This involves expanding into high-growth platforms like fintech, commerce, and enterprise solutions.
The goal is to build a scalable digital ecosystem that serves both traditional telecom needs and emerging opportunities in mobile money and digital services.
Moolman’s success in scaling MTN Nigeria’s operations and navigating its unique market dynamics provides a valuable blueprint for this transformation in South Africa.
Strategic Alignment and Investor Confidence
The leadership reshuffle is part of a wider strategic realignment by the MTN Group to strengthen its execution and delivery beyond 2025.
By placing Moolman, a seasoned veteran, at the helm of its largest market, MTN is demonstrating a deep bench of internal talent and a clear vision for the future.
The positive reception from investors and analysts underscores their confidence in this new leadership and the company’s strategic direction.
This move is seen as a deliberate effort to align talent with strategic priorities, ensuring MTN remains a key player in Africa’s evolving digital landscape.