Sustaining Legacy at the MTN Foundation

As Nonny Patricia Ugboma bows out at the MTN Nigeria Foundation, Raheem Akingbolu takes a look at the brand and how the erstwhile executive secretary strove to sustain the legacy of its founding fathers as well as carving out a special niche for the MTNF brand

With the liberalism of the nation’s corporate environment after Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) became a culture among top business concerns. Every company wanted to demonstrate responsibility and prove to their opening communities that they cared.

In practical terms, top corporate bodies began to prove that they were businesses that had interest in wider social issues. Rather than thinking about only those who impact their profit margins, companies began to look at how best to lift the societies.

After successfully imbibing the culture of giving back to the societies, the issue of sustainability came in with many companies thinking of how best to keeps the tempo going. To this end, big players in the FMCG, telecom and manufacturing sectors like MTN, Dangote and others conceived the idea of stand alone brand entities that would oversee their corporate social responsibilities investments. That was how MTN Foundation (MTNF) was berthed in 2004; three years after MTN Nigeria began operation.

With MTN Nigeria’s annual commitment of one per cent of Profit-After-Tax, the MTN Foundation has since lived up to its vision ‘to be a leader in Corporate Social Investment initiatives in Nigeria measured by the impact and sustainability of its projects on host communities.’

Journey So Far

Driven by MTN Nigeria’s belief that the well-being of people and thriving communities result in good to all, the foundation has continued to implement impactful and sustainable projects in the areas of health, education, and economic empowerment.

From inception to date, with an independent board that provides direction and financial oversight, the foundation has committed over ₦22 billion ($66 million) to diverse social development initiatives -850 MTNF project sites in 36 states including the FCT. The foundation has always supported unconnected through initiatives such as the rural telephony project in partnership with the Growing Businesses Foundation, where ‘phone-ladies’ were empowered to provide telephony services in rural areas.

Under the education portfolio, over 60 secondary schools received ICT laboratories, 24 secondary schools received science laboratories and five universities received virtual ICT libraries. Also, scholarship awards have been granted to over 3,800 students in STEM and over 800 blind students in public tertiary institutions across the country.

Additionally, under the health portfolio, the foundation had renovated 24 maternity wards, 12 haemodialysis centres and six mammography centres in public hospitals across the country operating under financially sustainable PPP model.

Also, to ensure participation of members of the public, the foundation in started the ‘What Can We Do Together’ initiative – a community centred “give-back” initiative where people nominate communities to receive projects by MTNF. According to the record obtained by THISDAY, this collaborative initiative have been implemented in 510 communities under 454 LGAs in Nigeria with interventions such as the Installation of solar boreholes, 500kva transformers, supply of required medical equipment & consumables to Primary Healthcare Centres, school furniture and learning materials to public primary and secondary schools and household items to orphanage homes.

Five years ago, the foundation streamlined its activities into three major causes that includes Mother & Child Health, Youth Development and Arts & Culture,. These causes involved successful launch of campaigns to reduce maternal and infant mortality in 2017 and anti-substance abuse amongst the youth population in 2018.

Also, the foundation’s support of Arts and Culture has been a critical driver for a cultural renaissance in Nigeria, by providing platforms for Nigerian creativity to find expression througha capacitybuilding of young people in the theatre industry with the aim of identifying, sparking and nurturing talent; narration of positive Nigerian stories to promote inter-cultural understandinga andpromotion of Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity to a wider local and international audience through the support of visual arts initiatives, theatre productions and festivals.

Between Ugboma and the MTNF Brand

Under the immediate past executive secretary at the foundation, Nonny Patricia Ugboma, the MTNF has not only sustained the tempo, it has become a strong brand in the nation’s corporate environment with outstanding laurels to show for it. Ugboma, an enterprising and definite optimist whose corporate social investment pursuit had resulted in being awarded one of the Top 50 most inspiring women in Nigeria has successfully merged her passion for social development with her expertise in finance and strategic business management. Through the foundation and other places, she has worked over the years, Ugboma has carved out a niche as a specialist and achiever in the social and environmental impact investment space.

Beyond MTNF, the former ES has had a strong career in high tech and telecoms with a proven track record managing, multi stakeholder relations covering governments, executive committees, boards, communities and private companies. In particular, Ugboma appears to be an expert in designing viable and impactful initiatives that create economic, social and environmental value.

She has in recent time become a mission-oriented innovation enthusiast and a Human-Centred Design expert.

Looking back, it’s easy to conclude that her past achievements are testament to her capabilities. In 13 years, she led the team to receive over 80 awards and endorsements for corporate social responsibility whilst executing over 30 projects and impacting millions of individuals.

Perhaps what defines this corporate amazon is her ability to have successfully built a solid track record of results with a balanced focus on impacting society positively and the ability to cast vision, plan strategies, communicate effectively, launch new programs, and efficiently lead teams to reach organisational goals.

She has also consistently exceeded all goals set for her, and is valued for her hard work, reliability, tenacity and ability to consistently come up with solutions to difficult business problems.

However, all these strengths haven’t gone unnoticed, because as a corporate player, professional bodies and other organisations have inducted Ugboma into different boards and halls of fame. For instance, she is a Governing Council member, Lagos State Employability Support Project; member Women Corporate Directors; Institute of Directors Nigeria and Independent Non-Executive Director, RAK Unity Plc and former Director Asharami Energy (2013 to 2019).

Her credentials also include Master of Public Administration in Innovation (Distinction), Public Policy and Public Value, University College, London; Master of Science in International Management, King’s College, London and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Accounting and Financial Analysis, University of Warwick.

While describing what life has taught her as a corporate player, Ugboma told THISDAY that she’s always enthusiastic about a future where mission-oriented innovation policies will contribute to the creation of sustainable societies.