The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has expressed interest in exploring new opportunities for technology, trade and investment collaboration with MTN Nigeria as Canada seeks to deepen its economic engagement with the country.

The Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission to Nigeria, David Sproule, stated this during a courtesy visit to MTN Nigeria’s headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos, where discussions focused on potential areas of cooperation between Canadian businesses and the Nigerian telecommunications company.

Sproule, who was accompanied by Trade Commissioner, Delane Boakye, and Trade Commissioner Assistant, Nkemdirim Emovuon, said Canada’s renewed Africa strategy places commercial trade, foreign direct investment and bilateral economic partnerships at the centre of its engagement with the continent.

He also pointed to recent diplomatic developments between Canada and Nigeria, including the signing of a bilateral air services agreement and ongoing discussions around a Foreign Investment Protection Agreement (FIPA), as indications of the two countries’ efforts to strengthen their economic relationship.

“Under Canada’s Africa strategy, doing business and expanding trade is our top priority. Canada is open for business, bringing deep expertise in technology and telecommunications,” Sproule said.

He added that Canada was interested in working with MTN Nigeria to identify opportunities where Canadian expertise and partnerships could support mutual growth.
The visit coincided with MTN Nigeria’s celebration of its 25th anniversary, marking the company’s quarter-century presence in the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

Receiving the Canadian delegation, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Operations Officer, Ayham Moussa, said the company had evolved beyond traditional telecommunications into a digital services provider, with investments in technology and infrastructure aimed at connecting millions of Nigerians.

“Over the past 25 years, MTN has evolved from a telecommunications company into a leading digital services provider, investing in technology and infrastructure to connect millions of Nigerians and enable businesses and communities,” Moussa said.
He added that the company was interested in identifying areas where it could build meaningful partnerships with Canadian institutions and businesses.

The discussions also considered MTN Nigeria’s interest in expanding its international partnerships, with the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Modupe Kadri, saying the visit came at a time when the telecommunications firm was looking to broaden its business relationships beyond traditional markets.

“Your visit is timely as we are also looking at how we expand our frontiers and collaborations. If Canadian companies have technical expertise, then we can also see areas of collaboration,” Kadri said.
He said the company was also seeking to diversify its partnerships across North America, Europe and Asia as it continues to expand.

Beyond telecommunications and technology, the meeting explored opportunities in workforce development and education. Representatives of the Canadian mission highlighted the potential for Nigerian companies to establish partnerships with Canadian universities, colleges and technical institutions.

Such partnerships, the mission said, could include customised training programmes, skills development initiatives and other forms of institutional cooperation designed to address evolving workforce requirements.

Healthcare, education, the creative industries, sustainability and corporate social responsibility were also identified as potential areas for collaboration.
The engagement reflects growing interest in using private-sector partnerships to complement government-to-government relations, particularly in areas such as technology transfer, skills development, innovation and investment.

As part of the visit, Sproule and members of the Canadian delegation toured the MTN Y’ello Street Museum, led by MTN Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer and other executives.
The museum, established as part of the company’s 25th anniversary activities, chronicles MTN Nigeria’s evolution over 25 years, showcasing milestones in its products, technology and the changing ways Nigerians connect and communicate.

The visit comes amid broader efforts by both countries to strengthen economic ties, with technology and private-sector investment offering potential avenues for expanding bilateral commercial relations.

For MTN Nigeria, the engagement also provides an opportunity to broaden its network of international partnerships as the company positions itself increasingly within Nigeria’s wider digital economy.