About this report

This integrated report is MTN Group Limited's primary communication to all stakeholders and aims to enable them to make an informed assessment of our performance and prospects.

It endeavours to provide a balanced review of the material matters we face; our use of the capitals as defined by the International Integrated Reporting Council's (IIRC) Framework; our key operational, financial, economic, social and environmental performance; how we are governed; our engagement with stakeholders; as well as our risks and opportunities. In short, it is our value creation story.

Scope and boundary

Our material matters, as well as our strategy, form the anchor of the report and determine its content. It covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2017, and gives commentary, performance measures and prospects for the group's three regions and seven most important operations. Details of our material matters start on page 16. The structure and layout of this report draws on the IIRC guidance. We provide supplementary information in associated reports, including that on sustainability and the full set of annual financial statements (AFS), on MTN's website.

The regions in which we operate

SEAGHA: Southern and East Africa and Ghana
WECA: West and Central Africa
MENA: Middle East and North Africa

Enhancements in the year

The launch of our new BRIGHT strategy in June 2017 meant a change in the way we report internally, linking performance with the key metrics we use to measure our delivery of strategy. This is reflected in changes to the structure of our integrated report.

Financial information

We apply International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and Interpretations as issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee. We comply with the SAICA Financial Reporting Guides as issued by the Accounting Practices Committee and Financial Pronouncements as issued by the Financial Reporting Standards Council. We also comply with the JSE Listings Requirements and the requirements of the South African Companies Act of 2008. In parts of this report, we include data on MTN Irancell as it is a large and important operation. However, under IFRS, this business is equity accounted for.

Non-financial information

We use local and global standards and guidelines to compile non-financial information. These include the JSE Listings Requirements, the Companies Act of 2008, the King Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa 2016 (King IV), the IIRC's guidelines, the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index, the United Nations Global Reporting Initiative G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, the telecommunications sector supplement and the CDP standard. Non-financial information on certain aspects of the business has been externally assured and is identified by . The assurance statement is available online.

Approval by the board

The report was prepared under the supervision of group CFO Ralph Mupita. The audit committee ensures the integrity of the report and has applied its collective mind to its preparation and presentation. The directors are responsible for the integrated report as a whole, which they approved in March 2018.

Ralph Mupita
Group chief financial officer