The President and CEO of MTN Group has warned against growing calls to boycott pan-African businesses, cautioning that such actions could negatively affect youth employment, digital transformation, and Africa’s economic integration agenda.
Ralph Mupita, CEO of MTN Group, issued the warning during an interview with Bloomberg, where he addressed the broader corporate implications of recent protests targeting foreign-owned African businesses.
The comments come amid rising social media campaigns in Nigeria and other African countries calling for the expulsion or boycott of foreign-owned African companies, following renewed incidents of anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa.
Mupita said while the situation is sensitive, MTN has not yet experienced any direct operational disruptions.
“We have not seen impacts specifically to our business, but we’re very sensitive in markets such as Nigeria and Ghana,” he said.
He emphasized that companies operating across multiple African markets play a key role in advancing the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to promote trade and economic integration across the continent.
Mupita stressed that multinational African firms should not be judged solely by their country of origin, noting that they are deeply embedded in the economies they serve.
According to him, MTN Group generates the majority of its revenue outside South Africa.
“MTN makes less than 20% in South Africa and makes 80% of our earnings elsewhere,” he said.
The CEO urged governments, businesses, and citizens to prioritise constructive engagement rather than retaliatory economic measures, warning that migration-related tensions and unemployment cannot be resolved through isolationist policies.
He also highlighted Africa’s demographic potential, noting that the continent’s youth population presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
“MTN also believes that embracing the benefits of the digital economy is vital to turning the youth bulge we have in Africa into a youth dividend,” Mupita stated.
Africa, according to United Nations estimates, has one of the youngest populations in the world, with around 70% of sub-Saharan Africans under the age of 30. Analysts have repeatedly called for increased investment in digital infrastructure, innovation, and technology-driven job creation.
Mupita’s remarks come amid growing concerns over anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa and its ripple effects across the continent.
Earlier this week, Mmamoloko Kubayi acknowledged that ongoing anti-migrant tensions are beginning to produce economic consequences beyond the country’s borders.
She noted that some South African artists are losing performance opportunities across Africa due to backlash linked to migration-related violence.
The Nigerian government has also begun evacuating citizens, with 262 Nigerians recently repatriated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks.
The developments have intensified debate over Africa’s economic integration and the risks posed by rising nationalist sentiment within interconnected regional markets.
