TELECOMMUNICATIONS : MTN Group surpasses the 2,000 billion FCFA tax contribution threshold in 2025
(LVDE) – MTN Group, active in 16 African countries, paid 2,101.2 billion FCFA in taxes during the 2025 fiscal year, compared with 1,812.4 billion FCFA the previous year. The figures, published in its 2026 fiscal transparency report, reflect operations spanning Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and other key markets across Africa. The disclosure comes amid a sharp improvement in the group’s financial performance and reinforces the telecom sector’s growing weight in African public finances.
Esther Grâce 
Africa’s telecommunications industry is increasingly positioned at the core of state revenue generation. MTN Group’s fiscal disclosure shows total tax payments of 2,101.2 billion FCFA in 2025, a 16% increase year-on-year. This performance confirms the rising fiscal importance of digital operators as African governments seek to expand domestic revenue bases in a constrained global financing environment.
The increase in tax contributions is directly linked to stronger operating results. The group recorded revenues of 7,800.9 billion FCFA, up more than 20%, supported by a return to profitability after a loss in the previous year. Pre-tax earnings reached 1,630.1 billion FCFA, illustrating a rebound driven by subscriber growth, data consumption expansion and improved operational efficiency across key markets.
Indirect taxes on services and products remain the dominant component of fiscal payments, representing about 1,252 billion FCFA. Corporate income taxes followed with approximately 420 billion FCFA. These figures highlight the structural shift underway in African economies, where digital consumption is becoming a durable and scalable source of public revenue, increasingly rivaling traditional extractive sectors in fiscal importance.
At the country level, Ghana remains the largest contributor with over 581 billion FCFA collected by public authorities, followed by Nigeria at 361 billion FCFA. Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire also rank among the key contributors. Cameroon recorded an estimated 134.1 billion FCFA, confirming its strategic position within MTN’s Central African portfolio and its growing role in regional digital expansion.
For Cameroon, the telecom sector has become a major driver of both fiscal inflows and economic transformation. Beyond taxation, sustained investments in network infrastructure are accelerating the spread of mobile financial services, supporting e-commerce development and improving access to digital tools for businesses. This dynamic strengthens productivity and broadens financial inclusion across urban and rural areas.
For companies operating in the region, the continued rollout of 3G, 4G and emerging 5G networks is reshaping competitive structures. Improved connectivity enables new business models in financial technology, digital platforms and cloud-based services, while also reducing transaction costs and expanding market access.
Across Central Africa, where digital infrastructure gaps remain significant, MTN’s performance illustrates the strategic role of telecommunications in economic diversification. With more than 307 million subscribers across the continent, the group has evolved into a key development actor, supporting both state revenue mobilisation and long-term digital integration across African markets.
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