MTN Group’s Ebenezer Asante says partnerships critical to unlocking Africa’s digital growth
Date: 2025-11-05
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
MTN
Group says partnerships across public and private sectors, countries, and
development actors will be essential for Africa to achieve sustainable economic
growth and digital inclusion. Speaking at CNN International’s Global
Perspectives: Africa event in London, MTN Group Vice President for Ghana and
Southern and East Africa, Ebenezer Asante, stressed that collaboration is the
only way the continent can bring the next one billion Africans online.
He
noted that Africa still faces a significant digital divide, with only 38% of
the population using the mobile internet in 2024, compared to the global
average of 68%. Asante said bridging this gap would require coordinated action
between governments, investors, development agencies, and private sector
operators.
“We
are getting to a space where, without partnership and working together – not
only with our competitors, but also with other investors, with government, as
well as multilateral agencies and development fund providers – we are simply
not going to be able to cover the next one billion people,” he said.
Mr.
Asante also said smart regulation and lower deployment costs are needed to
accelerate connectivity and ensure more Africans can access digital services.
With GSMA estimating that closing the usage gap could add US$700 billion to
sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP by 2030, he emphasized the need for innovation and
skills development to drive progress.
MTN
Group, which operates the largest mobile network on the continent with more
than 300 million subscribers, says collaboration is central to expanding
digital and financial access, especially in mobile money adoption and startup
ecosystem growth across Africa.
