MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has been recognised in a newly released case study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for its progress in advancing workplace gender equality through the Nigeria2Equal programme.
The publication highlights how the telecommunications company strengthened its diversity and inclusion efforts by adopting a more structured, data-driven approach to gender equality between 2021 and 2023.
According to the report, MTN Nigeria improved significantly in workplace gender equality rankings during the period, moving from 13th position to emerge as the top-performing organisation among the 30 most capitalised companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group. The assessment was independently conducted by Equileap and verified by PwC.
Speaking in the IFC case study, Karl Toriola, chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, said:
“A diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce is critical to the success and sustainability of our business. We are committed to promoting gender inclusiveness, equality, and empowerment internally as well as across our ecosystem to ensure that interventions are holistic and position women to thrive effortlessly. If we must narrow the gender gap and address the disproportionate representation of women in the private sector, I believe that business leaders and CEOs must disproportionately allocate resources to support women across all levels.”
The Nigeria2Equal programme, implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Exchange Group, focuses on reducing gender gaps in leadership, employment, and entrepreneurship across Nigeria’s private sector.
MTN Nigeria joined the initiative in 2021, committing to key gender equality goals while strengthening its broader advocacy for inclusion and women empowerment.
The IFC report noted that the company enhanced its existing diversity framework through targeted diagnostics, policy reforms, and alignment with international best practices, with advisory support from the IFC.
One of the major achievements highlighted in the publication was MTN Nigeria’s attainment of the EDGE MOVE certification in 2023 — a globally recognised benchmark for workplace equity.
The milestone made MTN Nigeria the first wireless telecommunications company in Africa and the second organisation in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the certification level, reflecting progress in leadership representation, pay equity, workplace culture, and flexible work policies.
The case study also outlined several initiatives introduced by the company, including targeted recruitment and promotion of women, mentorship programmes, expanded parental leave policies, and efforts to increase the participation of women-led businesses across its value chain.
These measures contributed to measurable improvements in female representation within the organisation, including the achievement of gender balance at the executive management level.
Beyond internal reforms, MTN Nigeria also expanded its advocacy efforts by becoming a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles and incorporating gender-focused targets and initiatives into its annual disclosures.
The IFC case study described MTN Nigeria as an example of how leadership commitment, measurable actions, and independent assessment can drive meaningful progress in workplace gender equality within the private sector.
The company said it plans to build on the momentum by targeting a 50:50 gender balance across its workforce by 2030, while continuing efforts to create more inclusive opportunities for women throughout its operations and ecosystem.
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