MTN Group reported a 7.1 per cent rise in first-quarter revenue helped by a strong performance in data services, Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator said on Wednesday.
Ratings agency Fitch downgraded MTN to junk status in April and gave it a negative outlook, citing weakness in the economic and operating environments of its main subsidiaries in South Africa and Nigeria.
MTN said data revenue, which contributed 20 percent of total revenue, was up 29.4 percent for the three months ended March 31.
Shares in MTN were up 1.36 percent to 128.52 rand at 0700 GMT.
“In our key markets of South Africa, Nigeria and Iran, significant network investments made over the past few years are underpinning the improving revenue trends,” Group Chief Executive Rob Shuter said in a statement.
“The network investment planned for 2017 is expected to support further market share gains across our markets.”
Year-to-date capital expenditure stands at 4.6 billion rand, MTN said.
Founded with the help of Pretoria at the end of white rule in 1994, MTN is seen as one of post-apartheid South Africa’s biggest commercial successes, but clashes with regulators in recent years have raised questions about its governance and have hobbled its growth.
The firm, which does the bulk of its business in emerging markets, said Nigeria’s subscriber base declined by 2.3 per cent in the quarter due to new regulations, while total revenue increased by 11.6 per cent.
MTN agreed to pay a fine of 330 billion naira ($1.1 billion), reduced from $5.2 billion, in June 2016 after a prolonged legal battle to end a dispute in Nigeria over missing a deadline to cut off unregistered SIM cards, which continues to sap its subscriber numbers.
“The ongoing network investment in Nigeria is delivering continued improvements in data quality in the metro areas and highlights MTN Group’s commitment to the Nigerian market notwithstanding the challenging macro environment,” Shuter said.
The telco is the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria with about 60 million subscribers, and the country accounts for about a third of its revenue.
The South African unit of the telecom company reported a 4.1 percent increase in service revenue, while Irancell booked a 76.7 percent increase in data revenue.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
