Karl Toriola

Karl Olutokun Toriola

Karl Olutokun Toriola is a Nigerian telecommunications executive and the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria. He became chief executive on 1 March 2021 after holding technical and regional leadership positions across MTN's African operations.

Star Mover ranking

Not ranked in News yet

0 points

No points are shown in this support ranking yet.

Sign in to Move Up

Profile

About Karl Toriola

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Nigeria · Telecommunications executive

Show full profile Hide full profile

Known for: Telecommunications leadership in Nigeria; MTN operations in West, Central and Francophone Africa
Country: Nigeria

Telecommunications executive

At a glance

Toriola has served as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria since 1 March 2021.
He joined MTN in 2006 as Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria.
His MTN career has included leadership of MTN Cameroon and responsibility for the group's operations in West, Central and Francophone Africa.
He studied electronic and electrical engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University and communication systems at the University of Wales, Swansea.

Leadership of MTN Nigeria

Toriola was announced as MTN Nigeria's incoming chief executive in October 2020 and took office on 1 March 2021, succeeding Ferdi Moolman. MTN Nigeria's executive profile and its audited financial statements for 2025 identify him as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. MTN Group also lists him as Vice President for Francophone Africa.

Telecommunications career

Before joining MTN, Toriola worked in telecommunications roles at Vmobile Nigeria and Ericsson operations in Nigeria and Switzerland. He entered MTN Nigeria as Chief Technical Officer in 2006 and later served as Chief Executive Officer of MTN Cameroon and as MTN Group Vice President for West and Central Africa, building experience across technical, national and regional operations before becoming MTN Nigeria's chief executive.

Education and professional background

MTN Nigeria states that Toriola holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master of Science degree in Communication Systems from the University of Wales, Swansea. MTN Group reports that he also completed executive or management programmes at Harvard Business School, London Business School, IMD and Stanford Graduate School of Business. MTN Nigeria identifies him as a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a member of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria and the Institute of Directors; these affiliations have not been independently verified with the relevant bodies.

Honorary recognition

In December 2024, an MTN Nigeria event report said that Obafemi Awolowo University conferred an honorary doctorate on Toriola during its 48th convocation ceremony. An accessible university conferral record was not established in the reviewed material.

Timeline

2006 Joined MTN in Nigeria as Chief Technical Officer.
2016-01-01 Began serving as MTN Group Vice President for West and Central Africa, according to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group profile.
2020-10-26 MTN Group announced his appointment as the incoming Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria.
2021-03-01 Became Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, succeeding Ferdi Moolman.
2024-12-14 MTN Nigeria reported that Obafemi Awolowo University conferred an honorary doctorate on Toriola at its 48th convocation ceremony.

Additional verified details

Current context

MTN Nigeria identifies Toriola as its Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and its audited financial statements for 2025 were signed by him as Chief Executive Officer. Supported by MTN Nigeria's executive profile and latest available audited financial statements; the role should be rechecked before publication.
MTN Group lists Toriola as Vice President for Francophone Africa in addition to his leadership role at MTN Nigeria. The designation appears in MTN Group's executive profile and FY2025 governance report.
MTN Nigeria identifies Toriola as a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a member of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria and the Institute of Directors. These affiliations are reported in MTN Nigeria's executive biography and were not independently verified with the relevant professional bodies.

Biographical facts

MTN Nigeria's audited financial statements for 2025 list Toriola's nationality as Nigerian.
He joined MTN in 2006, initially serving as Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria.
Before becoming MTN Nigeria's chief executive, he served as Chief Executive Officer of MTN Cameroon and Vice President for West and Central Africa.
Before joining MTN, he held telecommunications roles at Vmobile Nigeria and Ericsson operations in Nigeria and Switzerland.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master of Science degree in Communication Systems from the University of Wales, Swansea.
MTN Group states that he completed executive or management programmes at Harvard Business School, London Business School, IMD and Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Connections

Affiliations

Affiliations associated with Karl Toriola.

MTN Nigeria Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer 2021-03-01–present
MTN Group Vice President for Francophone Africa present
MTN Cameroon Chief Executive Officer
MTN Group Vice President for West and Central Africa 2016-01-01–2021-03-01
MTN Group 2016-01-01–2021-03-01