MTN Group, one of Africa’s largest telecommunications providers, has disclosed a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to customer information in select markets. The incident follows a concerning pattern of data breaches affecting major African telecom operators, including recent incidents at Cell C in South Africa and Econet Wireless in Zimbabwe. The company reports that its core network, billing systems, and financial services infrastructure remain secure and fully operational.
An unknown third party has claimed access to data connected to portions of MTN’s systems. While the breach resulted in unauthorized access to personal information of some MTN customers in certain markets, the company states there is no evidence that customer accounts or mobile wallets have been directly compromised. The security concern is particularly relevant given MTN’s extensive mobile money services across Africa, where mobile money fraud has become an increasing concern.
In response to the incident, MTN activated its cybersecurity response protocols and notified the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks in South Africa. The company has also informed relevant authorities in affected countries and is cooperating with ongoing investigations.
MTN is currently notifying affected customers in accordance with local legal and regulatory requirements. The company has issued security recommendations for customers, including placing fraud alerts on credit reports, maintaining updated mobile apps and devices, using strong unique passwords, avoiding suspicious links, protecting personal credentials, and enabling multifactor authentication where available.
“No evidence of compromise to any of our critical infrastructure, core MTN platforms, or services. Our core network, billing systems, and financial services infrastructure remain secure and fully operational,” the company statement emphasized.
The telecommunications provider continues to work with law enforcement agencies and will provide updates to relevant authorities as the investigation proceeds. MTN serves numerous markets across Africa and is implementing measures to enhance security protocols following this incident. The breach occurs as African nations are increasingly focusing on digital identity protection and secure mobile financial services, with several countries implementing new digital ID systems and enhanced security measures for mobile transactions.
Sources: MTN, Tech Africa News, Ecofin Agency, Punch
