Philosophy of Leadership and Ethical Decision-Making for Managers in Nigerian Telecommunications Companies

This study examines the philosophy of leadership and ethical decision-making as practical frameworks for senior managers in Nigerian telecommunications companies, focusing on firms operating in the South West geopolitical zone. Leadership in large commercial organisations raises philosophical questions about the nature of authority, the moral obligations of power, and the ethical standards that should govern managerial decision-making, particularly in industries with significant public interest dimensions. Using a professional practice design, the study draws on the philosophy of leadership from Joseph Rost, James MacGregor Burns's transformational leadership theory, and African Ubuntu leadership philosophy, supplemented by secondary literature published between 2020 and 2024. Structured interviews with 20 senior managers, management ethics scholars, and philosophy academics in Lagos and Abuja provide the primary data. The study analyses specific ethical dilemmas encountered in telecommunications management, including data privacy decisions, pricing ethics, and workforce management practices. Findings reveal that managerial ethics in Nigerian telecommunications is predominantly driven by regulatory compliance and reputational risk management rather than by principled philosophical commitment to stakeholder obligations. The study argues that Ubuntu leadership philosophy provides a culturally resonant and practically applicable framework for ethical managerial decision-making in Nigerian organisational contexts. Keywords: philosophy of leadership, managerial ethics, telecommunications, Ubuntu, Nigeria.