The 2025 Edge Awards event was a moment for MTN Nigeria as the company and three of its executives emerged as winners. At the ceremony held at the Balmoral Event Hall of Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, MTN Nigeria was named ‘Brand of the Year’, reaffirming its reputation as one of Africa’s most admired and influential companies.

Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, adding to the celebrations, was recognised as ‘Brand Personality of the Year’ while Senior Manager, External Relations, Funso Aina, received the award for Outstanding Public Relations and Corporate Communications Personality of the Decade.

Public Relations Manager, Lakinbofa Goodluck, was also named Outstanding Public Relations Personality of the Decade. The event, with the theme ‘Excellence Beyond Borders’, attracted leading voices in advertising, marketing, and integrated communications (IMC). The wins were widely viewed as a strong reflection of MTN Nigeria’s leadership, its depth of talent, and its enduring culture of innovation.

Funso Aina, a seasoned communications professional with a career spanning journalism, cultural diplomacy, and corporate relations, also reflected on the significance of the awards.

The recognition comes against the backdrop of MTN Nigeria’s strong performance in 2025. According to its Half Year 2025 results, the company recorded N2.4 trillion in service revenue and N83.2 billion profit after tax, despite operating in a challenging macroeconomic environment. Data revenue grew by 8.6 per cent year-on-year, supported by 44.6 million active data users, while fintech revenue increased by 21.4 per cent, underlining MTN Nigeria’s role as a driver of digital and financial inclusion.

Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, a Fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), has over 25 years of experience spanning telecommunications, logistics, and education.

Before becoming Chief Marketing Officer, she served as Chief Broadband Officer, growing MTN Nigeria’s fixed broadband subscriber base to over three million. She is also an international speaker on women in leadership and technology, and a doctoral candidate at Cranfield University in the UK.

Lakinbofa Goodluck, recognised as ‘the Outstanding Public Relations Personality of the Decade’, represents the new guard of PR leadership. Since joining MTN Nigeria in 2018, he has risen through the ranks to become Public Relations Manager, operating at the intersection of corporate strategy, public perception, and digital influence. His work spans media intelligence, crisis planning, and issue forecasting, ensuring that MTN Nigeria remains resilient in a fast-changing communications landscape. Colleagues describe him as deliberate and analytical, a strategist who understands that every campaign is not just about visibility but about building trust.