MTN Group appoints Shoyinka Shodunke as IT Core Design and Delivery Executive to lead AI-driven IT architecture across Africa
MTN Group has appointed Shoyinka Shodunke as Executive: IT Core Design and Delivery, effective 1 March 2026. In a statement released today, MTN disclosed that the Shodunke, who currently serves as the CIO for MTN Nigeria and MTN South Africa, will lead the development and execution of standardised and AI-enhanced IT architectures across MTN’s footprint.
Shodunke brings nearly three decades of technology leadership experience across Africa’s telecommunications industry and is recognised for a leadership approach anchored in adaptive intelligence, resilient system design and collaborative value creation.
His career began in 1996 as a Systems Analyst with Texco Overseas Petroleum Company (now Chevron Nigeria), where he worked for five years before joining MTN in 2001. He has focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance human creativity, strengthen system resilience and drive innovation at scale.
“His responsibilities will include integrating AI-driven automation, predictive analytics and digital transformation initiatives to improve customer experience, operational efficiency and service agility, while accelerating innovation cycles and time-to-market,” the statement reads in part.
Shodunke started in MTN’s Information Technology unit, rising to become Senior Applications Manager during the company’s early infrastructure rollout across Nigeria. He played a key role in transforming credit management and post-payment systems through the Recharge a Contract initiative, earning a CIO’s award for excellence for his work on the postpaid credit and payment management process.
Regional leadership across Africa
In 2008, Shodunke was appointed CIO of MTN Zambia, and later moved to Uganda in 2011 as General Manager. While in Uganda, he oversaw architecture and planning for MTN Southeast Africa IT, achieving application standardisation and deploying shared services business processes across multiple Southeast African operations, including the first Pre/Post-paid system convergence.
Shodunke returned to MTN Nigeria in 2012 as General Manager IT Service Delivery and later acting CIO, successfully steering the company through the regulatory-mandated SIM registration process and convergence implementation during what MTN describes as a critical period.
His success led to a transfer to MTN Cameroon in 2016, where he became the company’s first CIO and later Chief Information Technology Officer. Under his leadership, MTN Cameroon achieved the number one position on net promoter scores and won the Ookla award for fastest network, coverage and best network—the first-ever triple award—as well as the Rohde & Schwarz award for best and fastest network for voice and data.
Shodunke left MTN in 2020 to join Vodafone Ghana as Director of Technology, where he focused on transformational initiatives aligned with market demands and organizational objectives. He also helped move Vodafone to number one on net promoter scores.
Currently serving as CIO for both MTN Nigeria and MTN South Africa, Shodunke has overseen digital initiatives affecting more than 80 million subscribers and managed a technology team of over 350 professionals.
In 2025, he was named MTN Group CIO of the Year for his contributions to advancing one of Africa’s most ambitious digital transformations. He also received the Tech Champion in Telecoms and CIO of the Year awards at the CIO and C-Suite Awards Africa.
Shodunke holds a Bachelor of Technology in Mathematics Statistics/Operations Research from the Federal University of Technology Yola, Nigeria, an MBA from the University of Northampton, a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Management from the University of Salford Manchester, and completed an Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.
In his new role, Shodunke will oversee the development and implementation of standardised and AI-enhanced IT architectures across MTN’s operations. His responsibilities include integrating AI-driven automation, predictive analytics and digital transformation initiatives aimed at improving customer experience, operational efficiency and service delivery while accelerating innovation cycles and time-to-market.
