MTN Ghana’s 2025 Graduate Development Programme turned the Marriott Hotel in Accra into a buzzing hub of ambition on November 20. Eighty young professionals—representing 18 African nations—stepped onto the stage to receive their certificates, each ready to translate the skills they’d honed over 18 months into real‑world impact.
The ceremony wasn’t just a celebration of individual achievement; it was a vivid illustration of MTN’s broader vision: to shape the next generation of African leaders in technology, digital services and business innovation.
Acting Chief Human Resource Officer Abdallah Ibrahim set the tone, highlighting the programme’s role in driving gender balance. “We have leveraged the Graduate Development Programme to drive female representation within the company, with about 60 % of the graduate delegates being women,” he said, noting that MTN Ghana has added roughly 5 % more women to its workforce since 2020, bringing female representation to 43 % and moving steadily toward the 50 % target for 2030. Sylvia Owusu‑Ankomah, CEO of the Telecoms Chamber, echoed that enthusiasm: “It’s exciting to see that over 60 % of today’s graduates are women,” she remarked, urging the new alumni to stay authentic in an era dominated by AI .
Kagiso Malepe, Manager of the MTN Global Graduate Programme, reminded the crowd that the real work lies in blending these diverse perspectives into a unified MTN culture. “Our biggest task is harmonizing diverse perspectives and helping participants immerse themselves in MTN’s organizational culture. With MTN operating across multiple markets, the message of one culture, one MTN is fundamental,” he explained .³
The 80 graduates, drawn from countries as varied as Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda and Ghana, are now poised to take on roles that will shape MTN’s digital future. Their journey—from classroom learning at MTN’s regional academies to on‑the‑job rotations across the continent—has been designed to fast‑track talent into critical positions, a pathway that has already produced managers and leaders within the group .
As the applause faded, the sense of possibility was palpable. MTN’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and African talent development has not only produced over 500 leaders since the programme’s inception but also set a benchmark for the telecom industry across the continent.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge these new graduates face as they start their roles at MTN?
Would you be interested in hearing more about the specific projects or technologies the graduates will be working on?
