By A new form private sector led economic cooperation has taken-off from Nigeria with the support of Nigeria’s leading telecommunication and technology company, MTN Nigeria.
This new drive designed to deepen economic cooperation and private sector partnerships was given birth to at the Nigeria–South Africa Economic Diplomacy Roundtable host by MTN Nigeria.
MTN Nigeria at the event, which brought together policymakers, business leaders, and senior government officials, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria–South Africa business partnerships and fostering people-to-people collaboration.
The roundtable, which has as its themed “Africa’s Twin Engines: How Nigeria–South Africa Relations Can Position Africa as a Global Middle Power,” was convened under the auspices of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa and supported by the Lagos State Government, showcased the shared responsibility of both nations to advance regional integration, trade, and sustainable growth under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
In his keynote address, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, described Lagos as a natural gateway for African innovation and investment, saying that “Lagos remains Africa’s commercial nerve centre where trade, talent, and technology intersect. Strengthening South Africa–Nigeria cooperation is not only strategic for both economies; it is essential for the continent’s collective progress.”
In her remarks, Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Thandi Moraka, reaffirmed the importance of practical collaboration between the two nations.
“Nigeria and South Africa share not just a history of solidarity but a future of shared responsibility. As Africa’s twin engines of growth, our task is to move beyond rhetoric and drive practical collaboration and policies that align, systems that connect, and opportunities that empower our people. The AfCFTA gives us the platform; our partnership must give it life,” she stated.
While welcoming his guest, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Dr Karl Toriola, emphasised that the roundtable aimed to translate intent into execution by identifying specific cross-border pilot projects and timelines for delivery.
“We meet for a simple purpose; to turn intent into execution,” he said. “When South Africa and Nigeria act together, we can transform shared potential into measurable progress for our people and our continent. MTN will continue to provide the digital infrastructure, platforms, and partnerships needed to make this collaboration real”, he said.
The event featured a panel session with His Excellency, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Minister, Her Excellency, Thandi Moraka, DIRCO South Africa, Karl Toriola, CEO MTN, Dr. Babatunde Ayeye, Founder and Executive Chairman, IFS Group, with key action points from the roundtable which include:
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Launching a Nigeria–South Africa standards and e-certification pilot under AfCFTA.
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Establishing a cross-border SME payments corridor leveraging digital payment rails.
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Introducing a talent mobility framework to enable the mutual recognition of scarce digital skills.
The Nigeria–South Africa Ministerial Business Roundtable reinforced MTN’s commitment to fostering partnerships that drive trade facilitation, innovation, and sustainable development across Africa.
