Category: Media releases
MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita has met with Syrian Arab Republic Minister of Communications and Information Technology His Excellency Abdulsalam Haykal on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The two parties formalised an agreement to regularise MTN’s exit from Syria, with the intention that both sides implement the agreement imminently.
In August 2021, MTN Group announced its decision to abandon the MTN operation in Syria given regulatory actions and demands that made operating in the country untenable.
MTN first announced plans to exit the Middle East in 2020, as part of a strategy to focus on its African operations. The Group finalised its exit from Yemen in 2021 and from Afghanistan in 2024. It is still seeking to exit its 49% investment in Iran, but this has been complicated by US sanctions.
MTN Group signed a multi-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to advance meaningful connectivity and digital inclusion for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers and host communities across MTN’s markets.
Announcing the partnership, Nompilo Morafo, Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at MTN Group, said: “At MTN, we believe everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life”. Connectivity is not a privilege; it is foundational to dignity, protection and economic participation. When people are forced to flee, digital access becomes critical, it keeps families connected, enables access to assistance, and restores agency. This partnership reflects our conviction that inclusion must be intentional and systemic, especially for the most vulnerable.
Kelly T. Clements, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner, added: “For displaced communities, digital access is essential to protection, resilience and opportunity. It allows people to receive lifesaving information, connect with support networks and rebuild their futures. MTN’s reach and scale across Africa make this collaboration a significant step toward closing the connectivity gap for millions.”
The partnership underscores a broader reality: in an increasingly digital world, connectivity is not secondary to humanitarian response, it is central to it. The agreement recognises a shifting humanitarian landscape across sub-Saharan Africa, where conflict, economic shocks and climate-related disasters continue to drive large-scale displacement. More than 20 million displaced people reside in markets where MTN operates. For many, exclusion is compounded by systemic digital barriers which include lack of recognised identification, unaffordable devices and data, limited broadband coverage, language constraints and low digital literacy. Without reliable connectivity, access to protection updates, humanitarian assistance, education, financial services and livelihood opportunities is severely constrained.
MTN and UNHCR are committed to making connectivity more affordable and accessible in refugee-hosting areas, expand resilient network infrastructure, and advance digital and financial inclusion through mobile money, remittance enablement and digital skills development. The partnership will also support pathways that address identity and literacy gaps, recognising that documentation and capability are often the first barriers to meaningful participation in the digital economy.
Beyond service provision, the collaboration aims to catalyse broader ecosystem change by mobilising funding and fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships that deliver measurable socio-economic impact. Implementation is expected to begin in Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan, with a structured roadmap to scale across additional MTN markets hosting significant displaced populations. This collaboration is anchored in the ambitions of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative, that brings together international organizations, public and private sector actors towards a goal of advancing connectivity for 20 million forcibly displaced people by 2030.
MTN Group announced today that the board of IHS Towers has accepted an offer of US$8.50 a share in a transaction that would see MTN increasing its shareholding to 100%. The potential transaction is subject to various approvals and the delisting of IHS from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Upon the completion of IHS’s announced disposals (on 11 February and 17 February 2026) of its Latin American assets, it is intended that MTN will acquire 100% of IHS’s remaining business.
IHS is one of the world’s largest tower companies, with nearly 29 000 high-quality towers in Africa serving various mobile network operators in five key MTN markets.
The proposed transaction, which follows discussions noted on 5 February 2026, marks an important step to unlock compelling value for MTN and strengthen and reintegrate its ownership of critical digital infrastructure across Africa. For IHS shareholders, it provides them with an attractive opportunity to crystallise value.
The funding for the proposed transaction of the remaining shares MTN does not already own, for a consideration of some US$2.2 billion, will be through cash of approximately US$1.1 billion on IHS’s balance sheet, along with available liquidity and debt from MTN.
MTN has approximately 24.7% shareholding in IHS. As part of the transaction, it intends to take the company private through the acquisition of all outstanding shares it does not own, pursuant to a cash merger.
By reintegrating the tower assets, MTN will be able to internalise the margin currently paid to IHS, benefit from current and future incremental third-party revenues, improve cost predictability and unlock significant long-term value embedded in its existing investment.
“This proposed transaction is a pivotal step in further strengthening MTN Group’s strategic and financial position for a future where digital infrastructure will become ever more essential to Africa’s growth and development,” saidMTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita. “This transaction gives us a unique opportunity to buy back our towers and strengthen our ability to be partners for progress to the nation states in which we operate.”
“For IHS customers and partners across the continent, we commit to continuing high standards of service and the right governance of what is the largest standalone and integrated tower company in Africa, enabled by the excellent people within IHS.”
Through this transaction, shareholders of IHS will receive US$8.50 per share. This translates to an 9.7% premium to the 30-day volume-weighted average price as at 4 February 2026 (the last day of trading before the release of MTN’s cautionary announcement) on the NYSE, enabling them to unlock the value of their investment.
Long-term IHS shareholder Wendel has provided a letter of support to vote in favour of the transaction and will receive full liquidity on its shares upon closing. With support from Wendel (and certain affiliates) and MTN being able to vote at a general meeting, ~40% has already been secured of a minimum two-thirds approval of voting shareholders.
IHS Chairman and CEO Sam Dawish commented: “The proposed transaction deepens our long-standing partnership with MTN as it combines Africa’s largest mobile network operator with one of its largest digital infrastructure platforms and underscores the strong connection between IHS Towers and the African continent.”
In structuring this transaction, MTN remains focused on disciplined capital allocation inclusive of shareholder remuneration going forward. No new equity issuance will be required at the MTN Group level and the funding plan allows for a short-term increase in leverage. The transaction is forecast to be accretive to net income and cash flow.
The proposed transaction is subject to IHS shareholder approval, regulatory approvals in the relevant markets and customary closing conditions.
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MTN, together with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and its strategic partners, has announced the winners of the 2025 Africa PachiPanda Challenge, concluding a continent-wide search for scalable, youth-led environmental enterprises driving Africa’s green economy.
Hosted at the MTN Innovation Centre in Johannesburg this week, the finale marked the culmination of a highly competitive process that attracted 2,484 youth-led small and medium enterprises from across multiple African markets. Guided by the theme, “Nourishing Tomorrow: Innovation for Food, Energy and Water Security,” the Challenge spotlighted commercially viable solutions addressing systemic environmental pressures while advancing inclusive, low-carbon growth.
Arnaud Njita of Cameroon won first place for nTron STEM Kit, converting plastic waste into 3D-printing filament for STEM education; Ndaman Joshua Olayinka from Nigeria secured second for BuyScrap, a tech-enabled e-waste recycling platform; and Bill Agha of Cameroon placed third for AgriCheck, a climate-smart digital agriculture solution. Together, they reflect the strength of youth-led innovation driving circular economy and climate resilience across Africa.
“Africa’s youth are not just responding to the climate challenge – they are shaping the solutions,” said Nompilo Morafo, MTN Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer. “Through the PachiPanda Challenge, MTN is backing youth-led innovation that can scale environmental impact and unlock economic opportunities that could help enable long-term resilience for communities across the continent.”
The Challenge reflects the scale of opportunity within Africa’s climate economy. Agriculture remains central to employment yet constrained by land degradation, limited irrigation and climate volatility. At the same time, Africa’s renewable energy and water potential remains significantly underdeveloped. Innovation across food systems, energy access and water security therefore represents both a climate imperative and a strategic growth frontier.
The PachiPanda Challenge is a flagship pan-African platform for youth-led environmental innovation. The programme goes beyond ideation, equipping entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship and governance support to build investment-ready enterprises that create jobs and measurable environmental outcomes.
“What we have seen confirms that this is far more than a competition. It is a statement of intent. It shows that Africa is not waiting to be rescued by ideas from elsewhere, but is actively generating its own solutions—solutions rooted in local realities, driven by African entrepreneurs, and designed to deliver both economic value and measurable benefits for nature and communities” Alain Ononino, WWF Cameroon Country Director.
A distinguished panel of industry experts selected the winners from a diverse group of finalists spanning clean energy, food security ecosystems, circular economy solutions and waste-to-value innovations. The standard of innovation reflected the depth of Africa’s emerging climate-tech pipeline.
Jane Mammatt, ESG, Sustainability and Climate Change Partner at Deloitte, formed part of the expert judging panel “The PachiPanda Challenge highlights the growing pipeline of African innovators who are developing practical solutions to complex environmental challenges. Through the masterclass and ongoing mentoring, our focus has been to help participants strengthen their business models, governance and investment readiness, so that these ventures are well positioned to scale and deliver meaningful environmental and social impact.”
Flame Innovation Zambia, led by Agatha Mumba Mwansa, received both the Thematic Excellence Award and the Ubuntu Award for transforming waste materials into clean-energy alternatives such as fire blocks and eco-friendly household products, reducing deforestation and fuel costs while advancing circular economy principles. The Baobab Growth Award was presented to EcoDrop Project from Uganda founded by Kanyesige Pascal, Kigozi Martin Koyamu and Nyesiga Promise, for its incentive-based recycling model that rewards communities with cash, data or airtime for responsible plastic disposal, driving behavioural change at scale.
Winners will receive MTN funding to accelerate the next phase of growth, complemented by structured post-competition mentoring from Deloitte to strengthen business models, governance and investment readiness. The programme concludes with an executive immersion hosted by Wits Business School, providing finalists with exposure to leadership perspectives, enterprise development frameworks and innovation ecosystems to support scale.
By enabling youth-driven climate innovation, MTN and its partners are not only addressing environmental risk but also strengthening local ecosystems and contributing to Africa’s transition toward a more resilient, low-carbon future.
MTN Group has announced the appointment of Shoyinka Shodunke as Executive: IT Core Design and Delivery, effective 1 March 2026.
Shoyinka brings more than 29 years of experience in technology leadership, digital transformation and innovation across Africa’s telecommunications sector. His career spans several senior roles, including Director of Technology at Vodafone Ghana, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at MTN Cameroon, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at MTN Zambia, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at MTN South Africa and General Manager: Architecture for the MTN Shared Services Hub in Southeast Africa.
He currently serves as CIO for MTN Nigeria, where he has led large-scale digital initiatives impacting more than 80 million subscribers and overseen a technology ecosystem comprising over 350 professionals.
Shoyinka is recognised for a leadership approach anchored in adaptive intelligence, resilient system design and collaborative value creation. His work has focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance human creativity, strengthen system resilience and drive innovation at scale.
In 2025, he was named MTN Group CIO of the Year for his role in advancing one of Africa’s most ambitious digital transformations, supporting MTN’s evolution from a traditional telecommunications operator into an AI-enabled technology organisation. He also received the Tech Champion in Telecoms and CIO of the Year awards at the CIO and C-Suite Awards Africa.
His academic background includes an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) at Harvard Business School, an MBA from the University of Northampton, a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Management from the University of Salford Manchester, and a Bachelor of Technology in Mathematics and Statistics from the Federal University of Technology in Nigeria.
In his new role, Shoyinka will lead the development and execution of standardised and AI-enhanced IT architectures across MTN’s footprint. His responsibilities will include integrating AI-driven automation, predictive analytics and digital transformation initiatives to improve customer experience, operational efficiency and service agility, while accelerating innovation cycles and time-to-market.
MTN Group’s digital infrastructure company, Bayobab, was one of the consortium partners recognised for its pioneering role at a celebratory event held in Cape Town last night to mark the completion of the world’s longest subsea cable infrastructure project.
The milestone marked a significant advancement in global connectivity and underscored the role that MTN, through Bayobab, plays as a digital ecosystem enabler to give Africans hope, dignity and opportunity.
2Africa, a META-led digital infrastructure initiative, is the first subsea cable to provide a continuous link between East and West Africa while extending onward to the Middle East, South Asia and Europe. The system has taken nearly six years to build. It crosses 50 jurisdictions and required constant adjustment to shifting regulatory environments and technical conditions.
Its delivery reflects years of close collaboration, technical innovation and a shared vision among 2Africa consortium partners to connect communities, drive economic growth, and enable transformative digital experiences across Africa and beyond.
“For MTN, 2Africa isn’t just a cable but rather a statement of intent of what can be achieved when the world’s technology leaders and Africa’s own champions come together with purpose,” said Mazen Mroué CEO, MTN Group Digital Infrastructure, receiving the award on behalf of MTN and Bayobab.
“This project stands as proof that global scale and African leadership can combine to build the infrastructure that will define the next chapter of Africa’s growth story. Yes, together we’re connecting Africa to the world, but above all, we’re connecting Africa to its potential.”
2Africa delivers a step change in international bandwidth for Africa. On the West segment, from England to South Africa, the cable supports 21 Tbps per fibre pair with 8 fibre pairs on the trunk, totalling 168 Tbps. In the Mediterranean, shorter distances allow for more than 30 Tbps per fibre pair, and with 16 fibre pairs, the system can deliver over 180 Tbps in these segments.
This leap in capacity is expected to contribute up to $36.9 billion USD to Africa’s GDP within the first two to three years of operation, boosting job creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation hubs across the continent.
With landings in 33+ countries and counting, 2Africa will help enable connectivity for 3 billion people – over 30 percent of the world’s population. This scale is unprecedented, and it was only possible through the collective effort of stakeholders across the ecosystem.
Mroué said, “At MTN, we view connectivity as the foundation of Africa’s digital future. Through Bayobab, we bring world-class infrastructure capability and the reach of a network serving over 300 million subscribers across 16 African markets. Of course, the Bayobab footprint, which embeds just under 135 thousand kilometres of cable extends beyond these markets to accelerates Africa’s Digital Transformation and AI adoption.”
Building 2Africa required pushing the boundaries of subsea infrastructure. The cable is double the capacity of older systems. It incorporates undersea optical wavelength switching, enabling flexible bandwidth management and supporting evolving demands for AI-Enabled Data Centre, cloud, and high-bandwidth applications.
Advanced SDM (Spatial Division Multiplexing) technology was deployed and undersea optical wavelength switching for flexible bandwidth management incorporated. The cable burial depth was increased by 50 percent and carefully routed the cable to avoid seabed hazards like hot brine pools and the Congo Canyon turbidity currents, optimizing for both capacity and reliability.
Over 35 offshore vessels and extensive local operations were mobilised, with specialist equipment deployed to ensure safe and resilient installation across 50 jurisdictions.
2Africa’s success is rooted in partnership. The consortium led by Meta, included Bayobab, center3, CMI, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC.
The 2Africa celebration ceremony was held at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town.
Africa’s leading mobile operator MTN Group and global technology giant Microsoft are pleased to announce their plans to democratise access to artificial intelligence-powered learning and productivity tools to people across Africa.
Launched to celebrate MTN reaching the milestone of serving 300 million customers, the collaboration aims to enable more African citizens to participate meaningfully in the digital economy through Microsoft 365 with Copilot – an AI-enabled solution to support research, writing, communication and collaboration across devices.
The offering also includes Microsoft’s trusted security features, helping users stay safer online through built-in protection against phishing, data loss, and evolving cyberthreats, supported by continuous monitoring across devices.
“Africa’s growth will increasingly be shaped by how effectively its people can participate in the digital world,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita.
“This new strengthens that trajectory. Working together, we will open new pathways for innovation and opportunity that will define the continent’s next phase of progress.”
By combining MTN’s reach and local insight with Microsoft’s global technology expertise, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to help bridge the skills and opportunity gap and support Africa’s shift from connectivity to meaningful participation.
“Our collaboration with MTN reflects our shared goal to enable people to learn, create, and participate meaningfully in the digital economy.” said Samer Abu-Ltaif, President for Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“By bringing Copilot to millions of MTN customers, we are helping unlock new opportunities for learning and innovation across Africa.”
MTN and Microsoft plan to start rolling out the initiative in selected MTN markets in early 2026.
This will complement MTN’s broader work to integrate artificial intelligence across its network and services, focusing on practical applications that enhance learning, accessibility and participation in the digital economy. It also reflects MTN’s ongoing commitment to developing responsible technology partnerships that support sustainable growth and shared value.
MTN in partnership with Microsoft, has completed a major modernisation of its Enterprise Value Analytics (EVA) platforming in South Africa by migrating it to Microsoft Azure. The new cloud-based EVA 3.0 platform gives MTN greater agility and intelligence in how it uses data to enhance customer experience, improve operational efficiency, and enable responsible AI deployment.
The upgraded platform, now the largest Telco cloud implementation in the Middle East and Africa, allows MTN to analyse and act on data faster and more securely. It processes around 22 billion records each day and runs more than 800 analytics workflows from over 1,700 data feeds. Built on Azure Databricks and protected by Microsoft Defender, EVA 3.0 has shown a significant improvement in processing speed compared to the previous platform.
With faster data processing and real-time analytics, the new platform gives MTN earlier visibility into service performance and customer trends, allowing teams to resolve issues faster, design more relevant offers, and ensure a consistently high-quality service experience. Customers benefit from services that are more reliable, responsive, and intelligently managed.
“Our customers expect reliability, relevance, and responsiveness in every interaction with us; understanding our vast amounts of data and extracting meaningful insights in a timely manner has always been central to how we deliver that experience,” said Nikos Angelopoulos, MTN Group Chief Information Officer.
“With EVA 3.0, we’re expanding those capabilities – analysing information more quickly, applying intelligence more effectively, and safeguarding it through advanced cloud security. Working with Microsoft, we’ve built a resilient platform that supports responsible AI and ensures we continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
Beyond the implementation in MTN South Africa, the EVA 3.0 model provides a blueprint for similar data modernisation across MTN Group markets. By leveraging Microsoft’s global cloud expertise and MTN’s deep understanding of local connectivity needs, the collaboration demonstrates how technology partnerships can expand access, drive inclusion, and strengthen Africa’s digital infrastructure.
“MTN’s adoption of Azure for its analytics backbone demonstrates what’s possible when global technology and local expertise work together,” said Alkis Flemetakis, Telco Account Director Microsoft. “This collaboration is unlocking deeper insights, strengthening data protection, and accelerating digital transformation across the continent.”
Rick Lievano, Microsoft’s Worldwide Chief Technology Officer for Telecommunications, emphasised how artificial intelligence and big data analytics are at the heart of telco transformation – enabling operators to optimise networks for efficiency and resilience, create new revenue streams beyond traditional connectivity and enhance customer experience through personalisation and predictive services.
MTN’s Azure technical capability is supported by MTN Group’s Cloud Centre of Excellence and a Group wide network of engineers that, in 2025, achieved more Microsoft Azure certifications than any other organisation in Africa. With over 1,350 certifications attained to date, this milestone reflects MTN’s sustained investment in cloud expertise, continuous skills development, and its commitment to advancing digital capability across the continent.
Building on this foundation, MTN is advancing secure, data-driven systems that are transforming how people and businesses connect. Through intelligent use of cloud and analytics, the company is improving reliability, deepening inclusion, and strengthening the foundations of Africa’s digital economy. This approach reflects MTN’s ambition to lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress and ensure that connectivity, data, and innovation create opportunity for all
UNICEF and GSMA have launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), the first of its kind, to strengthen children’s safety, rights and wellbeing in the digital world.
Launched at MWC25 Kigali, the Taskforce will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform to lead, coordinate and advance child online protection efforts across Africa, while helping to build national and regional capacity to keep children safe online.
The launch follows the GSMA’s June 2025 whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed in collaboration with UNICEF and regional partners. The whitepaper called for strengthened action from governments, industry, civil society, and youth to build safer digital environments for children, and directly recommended the establishment of this Taskforce as a mechanism to drive implementation.
As more children across Africa come online – at one of the fastest rates globally – they face increasing risks ranging from cyberbullying and exploitation to misinformation and exposure to harmful content. Africa’s mobile-first landscape, rapid technological change, and growing youth population present both opportunity and risk. With the continent’s unique digital landscape, the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence and a growing youth population, the need for a homegrown, African-led approach to child online protection has never been more urgent.
“As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first. The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli. “By uniting governments, partners, and young people, we can make safety the foundation of Africa’s digital future.”
The taskforce will bring together partners from across the mobile industry, technology sector, regulatory bodies, law enforcement and civil society to strengthen cooperation and drive the implementation of existing regional frameworks and policies.
Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy at GSMA Africa, added: “The Taskforce marks an important step from strategy to action, turning the whitepaper’s recommendations into tangible regional progress. By working alongside UNICEF, governments, industry, and youth representatives, we aim to embed safety into Africa’s digital transformation journey and ensure children’s voices shape the policies that define their future. Together, we will strengthen digital governance, promote safety by design, and ensure that children and young people’s voices shape the policies that define Africa’s digital future. By working in partnership, we can position Africa as a global leader in child-centred digital governance.”
To date, the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection brings together a diverse coalition of partners, including Axian Telecom, Child Helpline International, INTERPOL, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Internet Watch Foundation, MTN Group, MtotoNews, Orange, Paramount Africa, Safaricom, Vodacom Group and Youth Representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda.
Young people who contributed to the whitepaper’s consultations – including youth advocates such as 19-year-old Jemima Kasongo – will continue to play an active role through the Taskforce, ensuring that the perspectives of Africa’s next generation remain central to this work.
The GSMA – together with Airtel, the African Population for Health Research Center (APHRC), Awarri, Axian Telecom, Cassava Technologies, Ethio Telecom, Masakhane African Languages Hub, Lelapa AI, MTN, Orange, Pawa AI, Qhala, the World Sandbox Alliance and Vodacom – today announced a continent-wide collaboration to strengthen Africa’s AI ecosystem by developing inclusive African AI language models. The initiative aims to crowd in resources and expertise to address gaps in data, compute, talent and policy, ensuring African languages, cultures and knowledge are fully represented in the global digital future.
Under the shared ambition “AI Language Models in Africa, By Africa, For Africa” the initiative seeks to close the region’s language gap in artificial intelligence, ensuring that Africa’s voices, cultures and knowledge are fully represented in the global digital future. The GSMA recognises existing efforts that have made great strides in addressing AI adoption in Africa, however, foundational challenges remain and is calling on ecosystem partners to join collectively to align efforts and further accelerate AI adoption in Africa.
Today, the world’s leading LLMs are built around a handful of global languages, limiting access and relevance for billions of people whose linguistic and cultural diversity remains underrepresented online. As cited in GSMA’s AI for Africa report series, in Africa alone, more than 2,000 languages are spoken, yet only a fraction are supported in digital systems or AI models. This lack of inclusion risks widening existing digital and economic divides.
By developing AI language models trained on African languages and local data, the initiative aims to empower businesses, governments, and communities to create AI applications and innovative use cases tailored to African realities – from customer service and education to healthcare, creative industries, and public service delivery.
This initiative follows a feasibility study led by the GSMA and its regional members which confirmed that African-led language models are both technically feasible and economically viable. However, the study stressed that success requires collective leadership, investment and collaboration – not fragmented efforts.
Building Africa’s Digital Future
The study identified four crucial opportunities to be addressed: data, compute, talent and policy. The continent-wide collaboration will foster co-creation and mobilise leading operators, governments, researchers, technology providers, investors, and development partners to mind these gaps and accelerate development.
To translate this ambition into action, the collaboration will establish dedicated working groups to drive measurable progress across data, compute, talent, and policy. Partners have committed to regularly showcasing outcomes and sharing learnings at upcoming GSMA events, ensuring accountability and sustained momentum toward Africa’s inclusive AI future.
Call to Action
By taking an integrated, problem-solving approach, the GSMA and its members are collaborating with Africa’s AI ecosystem to unlock opportunities across data, compute, talent, and markets. This collective effort will drive innovation and empower local industries, strengthening digital sovereignty and accelerating the scaling of AI across the continent today. Ecosystem partners – including startups, academia, creative industries, civil society, donors, and global technology players – are invited to join and contribute to this shared ambition.
Angela Wamola, Head of Africa, GSMA said: “Africa’s diversity of languages and cultures is one of our greatest strengths, yet it has too often been overlooked in the development of global AI systems. This initiative is about turning that challenge into an opportunity – building African-led AI capacity, empowering innovation across local industries, and ensuring Africa shapes the digital future on its own terms. By working together, we can make AI more inclusive, more relevant, and more reflective of the world we live in.”