Afrophobia and Social Media Boycotts Threaten AfCFTA Integration

MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita has issued a strong warning that rising Afrophobic sentiments and social media campaigns targeting pan-African businesses risk undermining youth empowerment, economic integration, and the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Speaking ahead of the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation dialogues, Mupita expressed concern over online calls (particularly in Nigeria) for boycotts or eviction of companies with South African links following recent anti-immigrant protests in South Africa. He described such actions as counterproductive and harmful to the broader continental development agenda.

“Africa’s youthful population remains the continent’s greatest asset,” Mupita said. “It should be channelled toward economic opportunities rather than divisive nationalism and retaliatory actions.”

MTN’s Pan-African FootprintMupita emphasised MTN’s identity as a genuinely pan-African company. The group derives less than 20% of its revenue from South Africa, with approximately 80% coming from operations across the rest of the continent. In its 2025 financial results, South Africa contributed roughly 20.2% of group service revenue (R44 billion out of R218.5 billion total), while strong growth in markets such as Nigeria (28.1%) and Ghana drove overall performance.

“MTN makes less than 20% in South Africa and makes 80% of our earnings elsewhere,” he noted. The company operates in 16 African markets, serves over 300 million customers, and invests heavily in digital infrastructure, fintech (including MoMo), and connectivity that supports small businesses and cross-border trade.

The warnings come as social media outrage over xenophobic incidents in South Africa spills into other markets, reviving calls for boycotts against companies like MTN, DStv, and Shoprite. Nigerian Lawmaker and former governor Adams Oshiomole has also joined local voices advocating an indigenous takeover of South African owned companies as retaliation for Xenophobic attacks and government inaction, especially on legal migrants.

However, economists and corporate leaders caution that targeting pan-African firms could sabotage the AfCFTA, which aims to create a single market for 1.4 billion people and boost intra-African trade by up to 52%, according to UNECA projections.

Mupita stressed that companies operating across borders play a strategic role in advancing economic cooperation and realising AfCFTA goals. Attacks on such businesses, he said, weaken industries that provide jobs, investment, and critical infrastructure for millions of young Africans.

The MTN chief also highlighted the mobile sector’s contribution to Africa’s economy. According to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy Africa 2026 report, mobile technologies added $240 billion (7.8% of GDP) in 2025 and supported 13 million jobs. By 2030, this contribution is forecast to reach $290 billion.

Mupita further urged African nations to prioritise dialogue, inclusion, and adherence to the rule of law over boycotts and corporate targeting. “The future of Africa depends on greater social solidarity, increasing economic integration, and the observance of the rule of law,” he said.

He acknowledged legitimate grievances over xenophobia and migration issues but warned that broad retaliation against businesses harms the very citizens the campaigns claim to protect. Protecting migrants, investments, and cross-border commerce, he added, is essential for shared prosperity.