MTN Group has announced the appointment of Shoyinka Shodunke as Executive, IT Core Design and Delivery effective March 1, 2026 reinforcing its ambition to evolve into a fully AI-enabled technology organization.
According to an internal communication, Shodunke will lead the design and execution of standardized, AI-enhanced IT architectures across MTN’s operations. His mandate includes integrating AI-driven automation, predictive analytics and advanced digital transformation initiatives to improve customer experience, operational efficiency and service agility, while accelerating innovation cycles and time-to-market.
Shodunke currently serves concurrently as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for MTN’s Nigerian and South African markets, where he has overseen large-scale digital programs impacting more than 80 million subscribers and managed a technology ecosystem of over 350 professionals. He will continue in these roles until his formal transition in March.
A Proven Leader in Telecoms Innovation.
With more than 29 years of experience in technology leadership and digital transformation across Africa’s telecoms sector, Shodunke brings a depth of expertise that aligns with MTN’s strategic direction. His career includes senior roles such as Director of Technology at Vodafone Ghana, Chief Technology and Information Officer at MTN Cameroon, CIO at MTN Zambia, and General Manager of Architecture for MTN’s Shared Services Hub in Southeast Africa.
MTN describes Shodunke’s leadership approach as one grounded in adaptive intelligence and collaborative value creation. His work has consistently focused on leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance human creativity, strengthen system resilience and drive innovation at scale.
In recognition of his impact, Shodunke was named MTN Group CIO of the Year in 2025, a distinction that credited his role in supporting the company’s evolution from a traditional telecoms operator into a technology-driven enterprise. He has also received the Tech Champion in Telecoms and CIO of the Year awards at the CIO and C-Suite Awards Africa.
Academically, Shodunke holds an MBA from the University of Northampton, an Advanced Management Programme certificate from Harvard Business School, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Management from the University of Salford, Manchester. He also earned a Bachelor of Technology in Mathematics and Statistics from the Federal University of Technology, Nigeria.
MTN’s Expanding Investment in AI Infrastructure.
Shodunke’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as MTN deepens its investment in artificial intelligence across its African footprint. The group has been building data centers, developing local language models and partnering with global technology leaders such as Microsoft to enhance digital infrastructure and customer services, including MoMo chatbots.
As part of its strategy to address Africa’s AI infrastructure gap and unlock new revenue streams, MTN is in discussions with U.S. and European firms to develop data centers across the continent to support AI services at scale.
Speaking with Bloomberg in September 2025, MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita confirmed that the company would directly fund part of the AI data center build-out, working alongside global partners, co-investors, AI infrastructure firms and hyperscalers such as Microsoft.
Shodunke’s elevation to Executive: IT Core Design and Delivery signals MTN’s intent to institutionalize AI at the core of its operations, positioning the group to compete more effectively in a rapidly digitizing telecoms and technology landscape across Africa.
