General Manager, Financial Planning, Kolapo Olaleye, has purchased additional shares in the company, according to a regulatory filing by MTN Nigeria, in a move that coincides with a strong rebound in MTN’s equity performance over the past year.
In a Notification of Share Dealing by Insiders dated 22 December 2025, MTN disclosed that Olaleye acquired 23,000 ordinary shares of MTN Nigeria at a price of ₦472.60 per share, for a total consideration of approximately ₦10.87 million. The transaction was executed on 1 December 2025 in Lagos and represents an initial notification, in line with market disclosure requirements.
Insider Buying Amid Improving Market Sentiment
Insider purchases are closely watched by investors as potential signals of management’s confidence in a company’s outlook. Olaleye’s share acquisition comes at a time when MTN Group’s equity has staged a pronounced recovery, driven by improved operational performance across key African markets, particularly Nigeria.
On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, MTN Group shares have risen sharply over the past twelve months, recovering from earlier lows as investors reassessed the company’s earnings trajectory and balance-sheet resilience. The stock has traded in the mid-to-upper range of its 52-week band in recent weeks, reflecting renewed institutional interest following stronger service-revenue growth and improving cash-flow visibility.
Market data from global exchanges show MTN’s shares have nearly doubled year-on-year, supported by accelerating data usage, mobile money expansion, and pricing adjustments in inflation-exposed markets. This broader equity rebound provides important context for insider transactions at the operating-company level.
Business Performance Backdrop
MTN’s improved share performance follows robust service-revenue growth across its African footprint, with Nigeria remaining the group’s largest and most strategically important market. Analysts have pointed to rising data revenues, expanding fintech adoption, and gradual tariff optimisation as key drivers underpinning earnings momentum.
Nigeria’s telecoms sector has also benefited from regulatory adjustments that better reflect cost pressures, helping operators protect margins in a high-inflation environment. Against this backdrop, management-level share purchases are often interpreted by the market as alignment between executive incentives and shareholder interests.
Profile: Kolapo Olaleye
Kolapo Olaleye serves as General Manager, Financial Planning at MTN Nigeria, a role that places him at the centre of the company’s budgeting, forecasting, capital allocation, and financial performance management. The position is critical in a capital-intensive business where spectrum costs, network investments, and currency exposure require tight financial discipline.
Within MTN Nigeria’s finance architecture, the financial planning function supports:
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Medium- and long-term business planning
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Capital expenditure prioritisation
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Performance tracking against strategic targets
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Scenario modelling in volatile macroeconomic conditions
Olaleye’s decision to increase his personal exposure to MTN Nigeria equity comes as the company navigates a period of operational consolidation and earnings recovery, following several years of currency pressures and regulatory challenges.
What the Transaction Signals
While a single insider purchase does not in itself determine future share performance, such transactions are often viewed as confidence signals, particularly when they occur during periods of improving fundamentals rather than distress.
For MTN Nigeria, the disclosure reinforces:
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Management alignment with shareholders
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Confidence in the company’s medium-term prospects
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Continued belief in the value of the MTN equity story despite macroeconomic headwinds
As MTN continues to execute its strategy around data, digital services, and financial technology, investors will be watching closely for further insider activity and updates on earnings, dividends, and regulatory developments.