US court clears way for MTN litigation to proceed

by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – MTN Group’s legal battle in the United States over allegations linked to terrorist attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan is moving into the discovery phase after a US federal court rejected the telecommunications group’s latest attempts to revisit an earlier ruling.

The US District Court for the Eastern District of New York on 25 September denied MTN’s requests for reconsideration and for permission to immediately appeal an earlier decision allowing certain claims under the US Anti-Terrorism Act to proceed in Zobay v. MTN Group Limited.

The Zobay case, together with the related Long v. MTN Group Limited matter before the same court, will now enter discovery, during which the parties exchange evidence and other information relevant to their claims and defences.

The ruling is procedural and does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing or liability against MTN.

MTN said that, under US legal procedure, it could not challenge the factual allegations against it at the motion-to-dismiss stage.

The mobile network giant said the discovery phase would give it an opportunity to produce and seek evidence to contest the plaintiffs’ allegations.

After discovery, the parties may ask the court for summary judgment. If neither side seeks summary judgment, or if such applications are unsuccessful, the cases could proceed further.

MTN said it would continue to defend the proceedings vigorously and consider all available legal options.

It also expressed sympathy for people injured or who lost loved ones during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, while maintaining that it believes the evidence will demonstrate that it was not a culpable participant in the attacks at issue.

The Zobay and Long cases form part of a wider group of US Anti-Terrorism Act lawsuits involving MTN.

The company said there were no material developments in the separate Cabrera and Chand & Davis cases.

MTN Group is a South African-headquartered telecommunications and digital-services company and one of Africa’s largest mobile operators.

The group reported 317.7 million customers across 19 markets as at 30 June 2026, with its core operations concentrated across Africa.

Its businesses span mobile and data connectivity, fintech, digital services and infrastructure.

MTN also operates major connectivity infrastructure through Bayobab, its fibre and wholesale connectivity business, giving the group a network presence extending beyond its mobile operations.

The company has grown from a traditional mobile operator into a broader digital-services group, with more than 300 million customers using its services across its markets.

Despite its infrastructure and connectivity extending beyond the continent, MTN remains predominantly an African business, with its operations spanning markets including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia and several other African countries.

For now, the focus in the US litigation shifts to discovery, where the competing allegations and MTN’s defence will be tested against evidence.

– CAJ News