Nigeria: Ugonwa Nwoye takes over as Acting CMO for MTN Nigeria as Adia Sowho departs

Former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for telecommunications giants – MTN Nigeria, Adia Sowho has exited the services of the telco company. As at press time, her next destination remains unknown.

Sowho has had an impressive career journey, becoming the first female CMO of MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecommunications company. Her professional path began in 2001 after obtaining an engineering degree. She worked as a Radio Frequency Engineer at US Cellular Corporation in Chicago before transitioning into management consulting at Deloitte Consulting LLP in 2007.

In 2010, Sowho relocated to Nigeria to join Etisalat Nigeria (now 9mobile), where she held roles including Head of Strategy and Business Development, Head of Digital Media, and Director of Digital Business. She launched the company’s first Digital Business unit, grew revenue to $100 million in four years, expanded partnerships, and led the creation of mobile digital products and services.

After leaving 9mobile in 2018, Sowho served as Managing Director of Migo (formerly mines.io) and Vice President of Growth until 2020. She also briefly stepped in as interim CEO of agritech startup “ThriveAgric” during the COVID-19 crisis, guiding the company through financial trouble and back to stability.

Sowho serves on the boards of Hover and Sankore Investments. She holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Sheffield.

In a related development, Ugonwa Nwoye, a C-suite executive who leads the largest customer care operation in telecommunications in Africa and the Middle East, will take over from Sowho as Acting Chief Marketing Officer, in addition to her current role as Chief Customer and Experience Officer (CCXO).

Nwoye is in charge of Customer operations strategy, design, and implementation of the contacting, service, upsell, and support experience for all Customer segments served and targeted by MTN Nigeria. Additionally, she oversees the design and implementation of customer analytics and support tools and processes related to omnichannel customer care.

With over 25 years of experience across various industries, including telecommunications, management consulting, and oil and gas, Nwoye is a Management Professional. She has led the creation and implementation of innovation strategies and transformational Customer Operations initiatives for one of the largest telecommunications companies in Africa.

As the former head of innovation and product development at MTN Nigeria, Nwoye was responsible for defining and delivering product roadmaps for key consumer segments, driving revenues, business growth, and positioning the company as the market leader in innovation.

Nwoye is a board member of Content Connect International, a new media, content, and entertainment company. In her private capacity, she works as a mentor to young professionals. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Nigeria and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School.