Africa's entrepreneurial landscape is a vibrant tapestry of over 40 million small and medium-sized businesses, each with aspirations of growth and success. At MTN, we deeply understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by African entrepreneurs, as they are woven into the very fabric of our communities and our business.

Our commitment to supporting small businesses goes beyond philanthropy. In fact, these enterprises account for half of our revenue, and their prosperity directly contributes to ours. This shared success is at the heart of our ongoing efforts to empower entrepreneurs across the continent.

Connecting dreams to reality

Our journey began as early as 2007, with initiatives like VillagePhones in Rwanda, which provided payphone boxes for local entrepreneurs to sell airtime, creating what was often "a small rural community’s only link to the outside world". In South Africa, our ICT Rural Entrepreneurship Programme equipped 1 600 women with transformative business skills.

We've consistently nurtured emerging businesses through our procurement and sales practices. For instance, in 2010, MTN South Africa invested 6.1% of its net profit after tax on enterprise development – "more than double the national compliance target". In Nigeria, our BizLift initiative provided financial access, mentorship, and sales support to over 53 000 retailers. Our VillagePhone project in Nigeria also empowered 4 500 mostly women-owned businesses, giving them "a vital link to the outside world" and enhancing their incomes.

Empowering local economies

Our commitment to local empowerment extended to Iran in 2011, where we sourced all recharge vouchers and SIM cards locally, boosting the Iranian economy. In Liberia, we employed 300 community members for subscriber registration, further demonstrating our dedication to local employment.

By 2014, we had partnered with Google and the Grameen Foundation to leverage technology, enabling fishermen in several countries to secure "the best possible prices for their catches" through SMS and Gmail-linked services.

Simplifying business, amplifying growth

In 2015, our SME support initiatives gained significant momentum. We launched a secure online platform in South Africa to enhance small businesses' online visibility, partnered with Sage Pastel to offer an affordable mobile accounting application, and introduced the Next Level Initiative in Nigeria, providing a "bundle of SME‑tailored solutions" like cloud services and free online listings. We also collaborated with uAfrica to enable businesses to create their own online stores, a groundbreaking opportunity for entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.

The following year, we continued to deliver innovative, affordable solutions for SMEs. Business Easy Accounting helped entrepreneurs "automate their multiple manual processes", the MTN SME Value Pack offered bundled services at a discounted rate, The Marketplace provided a free listing service and e-commerce platform in Nigeria, and MyOffice empowered businesses with cost-effective communication and web services.

Recognising the importance of community, we created platforms for entrepreneurs to connect, share experiences, and find solutions together. These forums, both physical and digital, fostered a supportive environment for small-business owners.

A shared journey of growth

At MTN, we believe in the power of connection, empowerment and transformation. Our unwavering commitment to supporting small businesses reflects our belief in their potential to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve lives across Africa.

We are proud to be a part of this journey, and we look forward to continuing to innovate and collaborate with entrepreneurs to build a brighter future for all.