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MTN South Africa is ringing in a new era and the timing couldn’t be more symbolic. Fresh from reporting a return to profit in the first half of 2025 with a reported net income of 9.75 billion rand ($555 million), Africa’s largest mobile operator has announced a major shake-up in its leadership, signaling that it’s ready to charge into the next phase of growth.

At the heart of the changes is Ferdi Moolman, who now takes over as CEO of MTN South Africa. Moolman isn’t exactly a stranger to bold turnarounds; he steered MTN Nigeria between 2016 and 2021, helping the company navigate some of its toughest regulatory and market battles while still managing to grow its customer base. That track record now puts him at the helm of the South African operation, where competition with Vodacom and Telkom has only grown fiercer.

He replaces Charles Molapisi, who’s not exiting the stage but rather slipping back into his old groove as Group Chief Technology and Information Officer. If that sounds like a step back, it’s not. Molapisi is doubling down on AI adoption across MTN’s businesses. Think AI-powered customer service, smarter networks, and productivity-boosting tools for employees. In his own way, he’s becoming the architect of MTN’s digital future.

But the leadership shuffle doesn’t stop there. Yolanda Cuba, who has been overseeing MTN’s Southern and East Africa markets, is stepping into the role of Deputy CEO of MTN South Africa. She’ll be working alongside Moolman to accelerate growth and, let’s be honest, probably shake up a few boardroom tables in the process.

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Meanwhile, Tsholofelo Molefe, the Group CFO, has just been handed a much heavier brief. She’s now also in charge of mergers and acquisitions, a sign that MTN is eyeing expansion plays and portfolio shifts to keep its lead in the African telecom space.

For South Africa, this reset couldn’t come at a better time. MTN’s half-year results showed a net income of R9.75 billion ($555 million), a sharp turnaround from the R7.39 billion loss recorded last year thanks to currency woes in Nigeria and Ghana. With the financials back in black, management seems eager to strike while the iron is hot.

There are also boardroom changes ahead: with chairman Mike Harper set to retire next year, Sindisiwe Mabaso-Koyana has already been named as his successor, ensuring a smooth leadership transition at the very top. The company insists these moves aren’t just about rearranging seats. MTN Group President Ralph Mupita describes the shake-up as a way to “accelerate execution” and squeeze more value for stakeholders. In other words, MTN wants to show that it’s not just recovering. It’s ready to flex.

From Nigeria to South Africa, from AI adoption to fibre expansion, MTN seems to be quietly stitching together the blueprint of what its future will look like. And if history is anything to go by, when MTN sets the tone in one market, the rest of Africa tends to listen.

Here’s a quick roundup of other MTN leadership changes:

Ismail Jaroudi becomes VP of Special Projects in the Group CEO’s office, while continuing as CEO of MTN Dubai.
Ebenezer Asante takes over as VP of Ghana, Southern and East Africa, with an expanded portfolio covering nine markets.
Karl Toriola remains CEO of MTN Nigeria but also takes on the role of VP for Francophone Africa.
Mazen Mroué will focus on fibre expansion, data centres, and satellite partnerships across Africa.
Selorm Adadevoh adds strategy and transformation responsibilities to his role as Group Chief Commercial Officer.
Chika Ekeji steps down from the group executive committee to focus on scaling emerging platform businesses.
Paul Norman, Group Chief HR Officer, will retire at the end of 2026, with his successor to be named by mid-2026.