By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Africa must coordinate
investments in digital infrastructure, skills development, entrepreneurship and
enabling policies to ensure that connectivity translates into sustainable
economic opportunities, MTN technology expert Mazen Mroué has said.
Mroué made the remarks at
the Africa50 Infrastructure Forum in Tanzania, where he joined leaders from
across the continent to discuss how digital infrastructure can support
employment, entrepreneurship and long-term prosperity.
He said Africa’s future
workforce requires coordinated investment not only in fibre networks, data
centres and digital ecosystems, but also in the skills and entrepreneurial
capabilities needed to enable African talent to participate meaningfully in the
digital economy.
According to Mroué,
investment in physical digital infrastructure must be accompanied by policies
that empower people to develop businesses, create jobs and participate in
emerging technology-driven opportunities.
“At MTN, we see technology
not as the destination, but as the bridge to greater economic participation and
opportunity,” Mroué said.
He noted that MTN’s
continued investment in Pan-African digital infrastructure is aimed at building
the foundations required for the next generation of innovators and businesses
to grow across the continent.
The discussions at the
Africa50 Infrastructure Forum come as African economies accelerate efforts to
expand broadband connectivity, data infrastructure and digital services while
seeking to maximise their economic and social impact.
Mroué stressed that the
success of Africa’s digital transformation would ultimately depend on whether
increased connectivity leads to tangible opportunities for current and future
generations.
He said digital
infrastructure should therefore be viewed as an enabler of broader economic
participation, with investment in skills, entrepreneurship and supportive
policies remaining critical to ensuring that Africa captures greater value from
its digital transformation.
