MTN Group Retains Global Top Three Telecoms Employer Ranking in Forbes 2026 List

MTN Group Ltd. has been ranked the world’s third-best telecommunications employer for the second consecutive year by Forbes, extending its record of recognition on the publication’s annual World’s Best Employers list to six consecutive years.

In an announcement by the company, MTN also improved its overall global standing, climbing 33 places to rank 133rd out of 900 companies worldwide. This represents a substantial rise from 394th position in 2023.

The latest ranking places MTN as the fifth-highest-ranked African company overall and the highest-ranked African company outside the financial services sector, underscoring its growing reputation among global employers.

The recognition comes as the group begins implementing its Ambition 2030 strategy, which positions people, technology and digital solutions at the centre of its efforts to support Africa’s progress.

Employee Experience at the Centre of Growth

The Forbes ranking is based on an independent, anonymous survey involving more than 300,000 employees across over 50 countries. Participants are asked how likely they are to recommend their employer to family and friends, providing an employee-informed perspective on workplace reputation.

For MTN, the continued recognition highlights the importance of building a workplace where employees feel valued, supported and equipped to contribute to organisational growth.

The company also reported improvements in its internal employee feedback indicators. Its 2025 Group Culture Audit, independently assessed by Willis Towers Watson, recorded a score of +63 for employees recommending MTN as a place to work, up 16 points from 2023. Voluntary employee turnover also declined from 5.7 per cent to 4.0 per cent over the same period.

Between 95 and 97 per cent of employees participate in the group’s internal surveys, according to MTN, giving management regular feedback on workplace experience and areas requiring improvement.

MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita, said the company’s ambitions for Africa ultimately depend on the ingenuity, resilience and commitment of its people.

He noted that the recognition was particularly significant because the ranking reflects employee feedback and experiences.

MTN Group Chief People and Culture Officer, Mitwa Ngambi, similarly attributed the achievement to the contribution of employees in serving customers, supporting colleagues and shaping the organisation’s culture.

Talent and the Future of Africa’s Digital Economy

The ranking comes at a time when telecommunications companies are expanding beyond traditional voice and connectivity services into fintech, enterprise technology, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies.

These evolving business priorities require organisations to attract and retain skilled professionals across fields such as data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software engineering, digital product development and cloud infrastructure.

For MTN, whose operations span multiple African markets and extend across connectivity, fintech and digital infrastructure, workforce capabilities remain important to delivering its long-term growth ambitions.

The group’s employee base includes more than 70 nationalities, reflecting the geographical reach and diversity of its operations.

Its Live Inspired employee promise and Live Y’ello values underpin its approach to inclusion, professional development, collaboration and employee engagement.

As digital transformation accelerates across Africa, the ability to develop technical expertise, retain experienced professionals and create productive working environments will remain an important competitive consideration for telecommunications and technology businesses.

A Milestone Beyond Corporate Recognition

MTN’s continued presence among Forbes’ leading employers offers a broader perspective on the relationship between workplace culture and business transformation.

While employer rankings do not, on their own, measure service quality, network performance or customer satisfaction, they provide an indication of how organisations are perceived by their employees and their capacity to build workplaces people are willing to recommend.

For Africa’s telecommunications sector, the recognition also highlights the importance of human capital in delivering the infrastructure and digital services increasingly relied upon by consumers, businesses and public institutions.

As MTN advances its Ambition 2030 strategy, sustaining employee engagement and building future-ready capabilities will be important to translating its technology investments into meaningful digital solutions across its markets.

The group’s latest Forbes ranking therefore represents both a workplace achievement and a reminder that people remain central to the competitiveness of Africa’s expanding digital economy.

Why It Matters

Talent competition: Telecommunications companies increasingly compete for specialists in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, fintech and digital infrastructure.

Workplace culture: Employee feedback and retention indicators offer useful insight into how organisations manage and develop their workforce.

Africa’s digital ambitions: Skilled and engaged employees are essential to building and operating reliable digital services across the continent.

Corporate reputation: MTN’s continued ranking strengthens its profile as an African-headquartered multinational employer competing on the global stage.

Strategic execution: As MTN implements Ambition 2030, workforce capabilities will be important to its expansion across connectivity, fintech and digital infrastructure.