Position Yourself to Be the One Who comes up with the Next Big Thing – MTN Head of Corporate charges Youths

The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, Ms Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe has encouraged young people to position themselves strategically in their quest to become leaders.

She stated that “in Ghana, we often hear people say, we need another Nkrumah”, and emphasized that “no, we don’t need another Nkrumah because we all can’t be that kind of leader but we are leaders in our own right”.

Madam Afriyie Wiafe indicated that “transformational leadership is nothing more than one’s abilities to solve problems. Be it at the grassroots or the global stage”.

“At MTN, we recognize leadership at all levels”, she stressed, urging the youth to position themselves to be the ones that come up with the next  big thing.

The MTN Head of Corporate made the statement, when she joined the Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit, organized by the Atlantic Hall at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday 14th June, 2025.

She was one of six guest speakers who graced the summit to speak to the students on Entrepreneurship and Leadership.

The guest speakers included; Professor Mavis Mensah, Director of CESED, School of Business, UCC, Madam Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN Ghana, and Mr. Sheriff Ghail, CEO of Ghana Chamber of Entrepreneurs.

The rest were; Mr. Eric Kobina Nyanteh, CEO of Translight Solar Limited, Mr. Elikem Kotoko, Deputy CEO, Forestry Commission and the Keynote speaker, Mr. Brogya Gyamfi, Deputy Minister for Defense.

The Summit was on the theme: “Transformational Leadership”.

Madam Adwoa Wiafe encouraged students to not doubt their abilities but to strive to achieve their goals.

Speaking on the topic; “Women in STEM”, the Head of Corporate at MTN Ghana was glad leadership and entrepreneurship were gaining attention in recent times.

She indicated that “we must inspire girls to see themselves as scientists, engineers and innovators, adding, exposure matters.

“At MTN, we are involved in diverse use of ICT programmes, showcasing that young girls can also thrive in technology”, she stressed.

“We must build their confidence and not just their competence. Many young women leave STEM because they don’t feel they belong. The workplace must evolve to embrace diversity”, Madam Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe added.

She stated that the purpose of tertiary education was to provide the skills and tools to enable one to create innovative opportunities and lead a sustainable life.

“Surviving intense competition in the job market means, being innovative and creating one’s own opportunities”.

Madam Adwoa Wiafe hoped other tertiary institutions would emulate the example of ATL Hall and organize more of such events for students to build their capacity.

She cited MTN’s Heroes of Change as one way of recognizing leaders at various levels, emphasizing, ”If we all did our little, we would create the social and economic progress that we yearn for”.

As part of efforts to groom innovative leaders for impactful change, the MTN Head of Corporate disclosed that MTN has initiated youth oriented programmes such as the MTN Pulse Business challenge, training and support for SMEs  and CEO of the Day among others to expose the young people to the corporate world.

“That exposure has boosted the confidence of young people”, she maintained.

Madam Wiafe further stated that MTN had as its mission to lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress.

She however urged the youth to take advantage of the opportunities available.