MTN Group’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita, delivered a compelling call to action at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. He emphasized the urgent need for African governments to streamline regulations, particularly in the technology sector, to facilitate increased investment in digital infrastructure, crucial for driving economic growth.
Addressing a diverse audience of over 2,000 business leaders, CEOs, investors, and governmental representatives under the theme “At the table or on the menu? A critical moment to shape a new future for Africa,” Mupita underscored the importance of harmonizing regulatory frameworks across the continent. Drawing parallels with India, where a unified set of regulations governs a population comparable to Africa’s, he highlighted the challenge posed by the myriad of disparate regulations across African nations.
Mupita posed a crucial question to the forum attendees: How can Africa establish common regulatory standards? He emphasized that regulatory harmonization would not only provide clarity for investors but also stimulate investment by providing predictability in returns.
MTN Group, with its presence in 17 African countries, is actively engaged in expanding digital inclusion in alignment with UN objectives for universal broadband access. Despite Africa’s population exceeding 1.2 billion, only around 500 million individuals subscribe to mobile services, with a significant portion relying on 2G networks. This underscores the stark reality that merely a quarter of the African population has internet access. Many lack smartphones due to affordability constraints, perpetuating digital exclusion.
In advocating for regulatory harmonization, Mupita and MTN Group are championing a pivotal initiative that could catalyze transformative change across Africa, unlocking the vast potential of digital technologies to drive inclusive economic development.
