MTN Ghana profit before tax rose by 44.5 percent to GH¢7.4 billion in the first six months of 2026, giving the telecom operator another sharp earnings increase as data and digital payments pulled more weight across the business.
The figure compares with GH¢5.1 billion in the same period of 2025. Service revenue reached GH¢14.9 billion, up 32.3 percent from GH¢11.3 billion, according to the half year results released on July 31.
Data becomes the main engine
Data supplied the clearest explanation for the jump. Revenue from the segment increased 47.1 percent to GH¢8.8 billion as more customers used smartphones for streaming, messaging and other online services.
Active data subscribers grew 17 percent to 21.3 million. Average monthly consumption per active customer climbed 38 percent to 19.3GB. Those two movements changed the shape of MTN Ghana’s income.
Data accounted for 58.7 percent of service revenue, compared with 52.8 percent a year earlier. Put simply, nearly six cedis out of every 10 cedis earned from services now came from data.
The shift also shows why network capacity and quality remain central to the company’s spending plans. Heavy consumption brings revenue, but it also places greater pressure on infrastructure.
Mobile Money adds GH¢3.5bn
Mobile Money remained the second major contributor, producing GH¢3.5 billion in revenue. Active users increased 3.1 percent to 18.3 million as payments, transfers, lending and other financial services gained wider use.
Basic services revenue rose 21.2 percent to GH¢2.3 billion, helped by person to person transfers. Advanced services grew faster, increasing 27.3 percent to GH¢1.2 billion.
MoMo’s share of total service revenue slipped to 23.4 percent from 25.1 percent. That was not a sign of contraction. Data simply grew faster.
The fintech operation completed its structural separation in the first quarter of 2026, giving MobileMoney Fintech Limited a distinct operating structure while maintaining investor exposure through the stapled arrangement.
Blewett sees room for more growth
Chief Executive Stephen Blewett said the figures reflected disciplined execution across connectivity and fintech. He described both businesses as MTN Ghana’s key “growth engines.”
The company plans to keep investing in network expansion, platform modernisation and customer experience. Its first half numbers suggest the market is responding.
MTN’s challenge now is less about proving demand. It is about supporting 21.3 million active data users without allowing service quality to become the weak link in an otherwise strong performance. That pressure will grow as adoption deepens.
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