MTN Group made senior leadership appointments in its Nigeria, Iran and Sudan units, moves it noted supported a strategy which includes spinning-off its fintech business and focusing on key growth areas.

For its Nigeria operation, the company handed Hassan Jaber the role of COO, a position he currently holds at Iran operation MTN Irancell. Previously the executive worked at the operator’s units in Ghana, Guinea, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen.

Jaber replaces Mazen Mroue, who took the position of group CTIO earlier this year.

The CEO of its Sudan operation Malik Melamu will become COO of the group’s business in Iran, having held his current role for five years.

Replacing Melamu is the former CEO of the group’s abandoned unit in Syria, Ziad Sabah.

The trio of appointments are effective from the start of April.

MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita stated the three markets where changes were being made had “attractive demographics and tremendous potential growth opportunities for digital and financial inclusion”.

The moves support MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy, the company noted, which involves driving growth by focusing on key areas including developing digital technologies while restructuring and separating various strands of its business.