MTN Group has officially formalized its departure from the Syrian telecommunications market following a meeting between CEO Ralph Mupita and Syrian officials at MWC26. This move marks the conclusion of a turbulent period for the operator, which abandoned its Syrian operations in 2021 citing “intolerable” regulatory demands and legal disputes. In conjunction with this exit, the Syrian government has launched an international tender for a new 20-year mobile network license to replace MTN Syria, offering a 75% stake in the business.
The transition follows years of friction, including a Damascus court placing MTN Syria under judicial guardianship over alleged license breaches, which MTN denied while recording a significant financial loss. This divestment aligns with MTN’s broader strategic shift to exit the Middle East—having already departed Yemen and Afghanistan—to focus exclusively on its core African markets. While the settlement terms for MTN’s 75% stake remain undisclosed, the new tender is set to run until mid-June 2026.
