How I Make An Impact
Uche Ofodile is CEO Benin with MTN, Africa’s largest mobile network operator. We caught up with Uche to get her take on leadership, culture, and making an impact.
When you first stepped into your role, what was your vision?
My vision was to make sure that being number one wasn’t just about history – it was about remaining the clear choice for our customers in the future. That meant doubling down on the basics: strengthening the network, expanding 5G, and ensuring rural communities were connected. It also meant going further – giving people access to digital tools and financial services through MoMo, while preparing our employees with the new skills required to deliver on that promise.
What were some of the initial, biggest challenges you faced?
When I joined, the challenge was how to rally an organisation that had led the market for so long to refresh and transform itself. Staying number one meant we couldn’t stand still. We needed to shift mindsets, build urgency, and equip people to embrace change – all while continuing to perform in a highly competitive market.
What changes are you most proud of leading in the organisation?
I’m proud of shifting us from defending our position to redefining it. On the business side, we invested in expanding 5G, strengthening our network, and accelerating MoMo – giving customers faster connectivity and more financial access. We also extended rural telephony so that communities previously left out could participate in the digital economy.
Just as important, I’m proud of the cultural and social levers we put in place. The Y’ello Graduate Program brought in younger voices, the Innovation Pool gave employees permission to create without all the rules, and initiatives like Tita, our digital skills program for young people, CEO of the Day – which gives young women the chance to step into the CEO role for 24 hours, and 21 Days of Y’ello Care, our annual employee volunteering campaign, have deepened our impact. Together, these investments, in both infrastructure and people, have laid a foundation that will outlast today’s market pressures.
Impact means leaving the business, its people and the wider community stronger than I found them.
How have you shaped the culture or values?
For a company that had long been number one, the risk wasn’t arrogance – it was comfort. My focus has been ensuring we earn our leadership every day by showing up differently: leaders in the field with customers, meetings that drive accountability, and employees who see strategy in plain sight. Programs like the Y’ello Graduate Program and the Innovation Pool added fresh energy and ideas. Those moves opened space for innovation and ensured our culture stays forward-looking, not complacent.
How do you personally define ‘making an impact’?
Impact means leaving the business, its people, and the wider community stronger than I found them. At the business level, it’s about ensuring customers have access to the best network, faster connectivity, and financial inclusion through services like MoMo. At the people level, it’s about opportunities to learn and grow. True leadership is about combining technology and trust to create lasting possibilities.
Doubt is natural, but it cannot be allowed to shrink you.
What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned?
That even when you’re at the top, doubt is natural but it cannot be allowed to shrink you. Preparation, practice, and surrounding yourself with truth-tellers turns doubt into fuel. Over time, I’ve come to see this as part of what I call Leadership Infrastructure™ – the systems, habits, and support structures that hold you up when pressure is high. Titles don’t carry leaders, infrastructure does. Building that for myself, and for others, has been the most important lesson.
What’s next on your agenda to keep building on the impact you’ve made?
Looking ahead, my focus is on winning on value and not just on price. That means accelerating home and digital adoption, sharpening customer understanding and experience, and equipping our people with AI and data-led ways of working. The goal is simple: to remain the brand of choice for our customers by proving that leadership is earned every single day.
Visit: MTN Bénin
September 2025