Nigerian telecommunications provider Globacom has announced the appointment of Ahmad Farroukh as its new Chief Executive Office.

Globacom said Farroukh’s appointment is aimed at strengthening the company’s corporate governance and operational performance.

These performances, according to Globacom, will align with the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) recent drive for improved governance standards within the telecom industry.

Farroukh brings over two decades of experience in African telecommunications, having held executive roles at MTN Ghana, regional director for West Africa under Investcom, and CEO of MTN Nigeria between 2006 and 2010. After serving as CEO of MTN South Africa in 2014.

He led Mobily in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest telecom provider, until 2017. Most recently, he served as Group CEO of Smile Communications Nigeria Limited (2019).

Globacom, in a statement, said the decision to appoint Farroukh “comes at a critical time as the company faces challenges with its subscriber base.

“A recent regulatory audit by the NCC uncovered subscriber count discrepancies, which led to a sharp reduction in Globacom’s subscriber count by 69.2 per cent within six months, down from 62.19 million in March to 19.15 million in September.

“This change underscores the need for strategic reforms to restore confidence and drive growth in a competitive telecom landscape.”