Africa’s biggest telecom company MTN is preparing for a brand refresh that’ll position it as a technology company, rather than a telecommunications company. The brand refresh includes forgoing the white, yellow and red lettering in favour of a black lettered MTN logo surrounded by an oval, similar in shape to a rugby ball.
The new brand is expected to roll out from 27 February, Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer, confirmed to TechCentral. She explained that the new-look branding is part of the group’s “Ambition 2025” strategy, which is aimed at creating “leading digital platforms for Africa’s progress”.
The new look is “aligned to our evolution from a telecommunications company to a technology company underpinned by one simple and consistent yet striking brand”, Morafo said.
MTN’s expansion drive to become a fully-fledged technology services company also means that it’s on a hiring drive to hire 150 digital experts in South Africa. It’s looking for UX and UI designers; Product owners; Performance marketers; Digital content specialists; E-commerce experts; Full-stack developers; Scrum masters; Business analysts.
This rebrand will help shift public perception of the MTN brand and also influence its market valuation. It currently offers a range of services such as short form video content (MTN Shortz), music streaming (Music Plus), social media service (MTN Ayoba), mobile money services, voice and data services.
Last year, it valued its mobile-money arm at about $5 billion and mentioned that it’s considering a listing of that division. With more than 277 million subscribers in 20 countries in Africa, the MTN group is valued at over $11 billion.
