MTN targets $1.7bn in AI gains over 3-5 years as fibre network expands
June 24th 2026
MTN Group (JSE:MTN) is deploying artificial intelligence to monitor fibre networks and automate customer services as Africa’s largest mobile operator targets ZAR30bn ($1.7bn) in value creation from AI over the next three to five years, MyBroadband reports.
Speaking at the group’s Capital Markets Day, chief technology officer Charles Molapisi said MTN was turning its fibre infrastructure into a sensor network capable of detecting micro-vibrations and identifying patterns associated with physical disruptions such as roadworks and excavations.
“We lose a lot of service today because of fibre cuts. We have a lot of challenges in terms of excavation, road maintenance, and all of that,” Molapisi is quoted as saying.
The company is using agentic AI to learn normal network behaviour and automatically alert technicians to anomalies. According to Molapisi, the technology could significantly reduce repair times, which previously averaged around eight hours.
“When people are mobilising, and before they put that TLB down to dig, we are already there to manage and support ourselves,” he said.
Mazen Mroué, chief executive of digital infrastructure at MTN, said the group plans to triple its fibre footprint from about 140,000km currently to between 420,000km and 560,000km by 2030. The expansion forms part of a broader strategy aimed at attracting 100 million additional data customers across Africa.
“When we look at the fibre core, our fibre footprint is expected to grow, increasing by three times from our current 140,000 kilometres over the next five years,” Mroué said.
He added that subsea cable capacity, managed through MTN’s infrastructure subsidiary Bayobab, is expected to double by 2030, strengthening connectivity between Africa and international markets.
Molapisi said MTN expects half of the targeted ZAR30bn in value creation to come from ‘AI Inside’, its programme to automate internal processes and improve efficiency. The remaining ZAR15bn is expected to come from new AI products and services aimed at consumers and businesses, including small language models and compute services offered through the group’s data centres.
The company is also deploying AI agents to assist network technicians with incident management and parameter optimisation. Molapisi said the use of intelligent agents represented a significant operational gain and would keep MTN competitive with global telecom peers.
A major focus of MTN’s customer-facing AI strategy is Nigeria, its largest market by revenue. The group has introduced agent-assisted SIM registration in the country, replacing a process previously handled by around 200 employees with 13 AI agents working together to process registrations.
“13 automated agents work together to distribute the load. When I say agent, I mean agentic AI. We expect this solution will scale across many markets,” Molapisi said.
He added that human oversight would remain in place to ensure governance, control and regulatory compliance.
MTN has increasingly positioned artificial intelligence as a key driver of growth alongside digital infrastructure, fintech and enterprise services. The group sees AI adoption as an opportunity to improve network efficiency, lower costs and develop new revenue streams as competition intensifies across African telecom markets.
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