Executive Profile: Funso Aina, MTN’s Multiple Award-winning PR Specialist

By Ademola Akinbola

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men” (Prov. 22:29).

Above aptly captures the essence of the brand called Funso Aina, the Senior Manager saddled with the Public Relations and Perception Management function at telecoms giant, MTN Nigeria. Funso is a PR professional with multi-sectoral experience in Journalism, cultural diplomacy, and telecoms.

Last week, he was deservedly bestowed with the 2025 Edge PR and Corporate Communications Personality of the Decade Award by Marketing Edge, Nigeria’s renowned specialist magazine published by industry veteran, John Ajayi. The Awards have been running since 2012.

The Podium International Magazine today celebrates Mr. Aina for his consistency, commitment, and creativity in the Media and PR arena. Here is a snapshot of his profile.

Who is Funso Aina?

With nearly 30 years of work experience in journalism, cultural diplomacy, and telecommunications, Funso is a results-oriented professional with diverse competencies and hands-on experience in public relations, corporate communications, media relations, public affairs, perception management/stakeholder relations/reputation management, and crisis management.

Based on his experience and academic background, Funso takes PR beyond nomenclature – to a demonstrable understanding of the strategic importance of targeted communication and its application in achieving business results and organisational efficiency.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History (University of Ilorin, 1992) and a Master’s degree in International Relations (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 1998). He is also an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School (Senior Management Programme); and an Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Funso attended St Joseph Secondary School, Agege, Lagos, where he got his O/levels in 1986, and King’s College, Lagos, for A/levels, graduating in 1988.

What he does presently

Funso is the Senior Manager, External Relations for MTN, Nigeria’s largest ICT company. In that role, he provides deep insight on strategy and drives targeted engagement with MTN’s critical stakeholders, supporting the business’ strategic approach towards enhancing its corporate reputation, particularly as regards engaging and managing critical stakeholders.

He uses communications to achieve desired business results and organizational efficiency, driving communications that create TOMA (Top of Mind Awareness) for MTN’s products, services, causes, and initiatives; generating traction across all media platforms; optimizing reach and engagement, most especially via social media.

Historical Background

Funso joined MTN Nigeria in January 2009, and until his appointment in 2018 as the Senior Manager, External Relations, he was the company’s Public Relations Manager, where he had oversight responsibility for MTN’s reputation/perception management; stakeholder management; media relations and PR leveraging for all activities; corporate sponsorships and events management.

Before joining MTN, Funso was the Communications Manager of the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Before then, he was at different times, Punch Newspapers’ Chief Correspondent in Aso Rock (Presidential Villa), Abuja; Foreign Affairs Correspondent and a Member of the Newspaper’s Editorial Board.

Other portfolios that Funso has previously held include Assistant Editor with The Nation newspapers and Senior Reporter with Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL), publishers of The News, defunct Tempo magazines, and PM newspapers.

Funso’s remarkable reportorial skill was recognized by the US State Department in 2003 when he was invited to the US under its prestigious International Visitors’ Programme. The Commonwealth Press Union extended a similar gesture to him when it admitted him to its Fellowship in London in 2005. He once did job shadowing at the British Council, India. He also had a stint as an intern at a UK newspaper, the Portsmouth News. Indeed, Funso has benefited from other extensive training opportunities in and outside Nigeria.

Awards/Recognitions

Funso has won a significant number of awards both locally and internationally. Some of his laurels include:

• 2023: SABRE Award as ‘Innovator of the Year’ in the Brands category – (He is the first African and black person to win the award in its long history);
• 2022: LaPriga Award (NIPR) as ‘The Most Influential PR Practitioner in Nigeria;’
• 2021: LaPriga Award (NIPR) as ‘The Best in Crisis Communications Management.’  
• ‘Recognized as a GLG PR Power List Honouree’ for two years successively in 2022 and 2023.’

Funso believes that “PR is not a band-aid over a mortal wound!”

Some of his favourite quotes are: “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footsteps on the moon!” and; “The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water” – John W. Gardner.

Work Ethic: Painstaking, detailed, with the consistency of soldier ants.

Leadership Style: “I believe in inspired leadership, the type that enlists the led in a shared vision with a clearly outlined road map to actualize the desired objectives. A leader should be result-oriented, ensure clarity in directions while creating a more collaborative environment and a great company culture, which are the factors that make it easy to achieve set objectives”.

Personal life:

Funso is married with three children.

He has an eclectic taste in music. He listens to Apala, Jazz, Soul, Higher Life, R&B, Blues, Agidigbo, Dadakuada, Awurebe, and Juju. He enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, and watching movies.