Sifiso Dabengwa, a former MTN Group CEO and a Zimbabwean has reportedly died on Monday morning after a protracted battle with cancer.
Dabengwa was MTN CEO from March 2011 till 2015 when he had to resign as MTN was looking for ways to negotiate itself out of a record N1.04trn fine Nigeria slammed on the telco for failing to disconnect over five million customers with unregistered SIM cards.
The Zimbabwean-born Dabengwa also served briefly as MTN Nigeria CEO until 2006.
South African media outlets have quoted a family spokesperson, Themba Sibanyoni, to have confirmed his death.
According to the reports, Sibanyoni said: “Dabengwa was a titan in the telecommunications industry and an astute businessman. His tenure as CEO of MTN Group from 2011 to 2015 was marked by visionary leadership, integrity, and dedication that drove significant advancements in the industry”.
Sibanyoni said Dabengwa left a legacy that extended far beyond the boardroom.
“He was an advocate for education and a fervent believer in the power of technology to transform lives.”
An MTN top executive who also confirmed the death at MTN headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, said MTN received the news of his death with shock and heavy heart.
She noted that everybody in MTN was in a mourning mood, considering that Dabengwa was still a member of the MTN family, having headed the telecommunication giant for a number of progressive years.
Dabengwa was said to have battled cancer for a while but gave up early hours of Monday.
