MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has disclosed fresh insider share purchases by senior executives, as its stock continues to trade above the N500 mark on the Nigerian Exchange.
In a regulatory filing, the company announced that Mr. Olugbenga Ojeranti, its Senior Manager, Financial Operations, acquired 81,327 shares valued at about N40.9 million. The shares were purchased at an average price of N504 per unit.
The transaction forms part of a series of executive share acquisitions reported by MTN Nigeria following the release of its financial results in late October 2025. Combined with the company’s improving earnings, the purchases appear to have boosted investor sentiment, pushing the stock to N550 as of mid-session on January 9, 2026.
Data from the disclosures show that Ojeranti bought the shares in two tranches: 66,327 units at N503 and 15,000 units at N505, between December 15 and December 30, 2025.
His purchase follows similar moves by other MTN insiders. Non-executive director Mr. Andrew Alli acquired 93,220 shares on December 4, while Mr. Kolapo Olaleye, General Manager, Financial Planning, earlier purchased 23,000 shares. All the transactions were disclosed in line with regulatory requirements, signalling growing confidence among MTN’s leadership in the company’s prospects.
Market data indicate that MTN shares have climbed to as high as N550 in early January 2026, representing a month-to-date gain of 7.63 per cent. The stock ended 2025 at N511, up sharply from N200 at the start of the year, delivering a 155 per cent return to investors. Trading activity was also strong, with about 806 million shares exchanged during the year, the highest level since 2020.
Analysts attribute the renewed investor confidence to MTN’s strong financial recovery in 2025. The company reported a pre-tax profit of N1.12 trillion for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, a significant turnaround from the N713.6 billion loss recorded in the same period of 2024.
In the third quarter of 2025 alone, MTN posted a pre-tax profit of N504.2 billion, compared with N37.7 billion in the corresponding quarter of 2024. Total revenue for the nine-month period rose to N3.73 trillion, driven largely by data services, which generated N1.97 trillion, a 73 per cent year-on-year increase, and accounted for more than half of total revenue.
Voice services also recorded strong growth, rising 48 per cent year-on-year to N1.19 trillion, supported by higher smartphone penetration, increased data usage, and the expansion of MTN’s fintech operations.
MTN also resumed interim dividend payments for the first time since 2022, in line with analyst expectations that the company would return to dividend payouts in 2025.
Market watchers note that insider share purchases by senior executives and board members, particularly after the release of financial results, are often viewed as a strong signal of confidence in a company’s outlook. In MTN’s case, the recent acquisitions suggest management optimism following the company’s return to profitability and may indicate expectations of further growth in earnings and business performance.
MTN returned 155% to investors in 2025 and has already gained more than 7% in January 2026, with stronger earnings, renewed dividends, and a fast-growing fintech segment continuing to drive investor interest.
