MTN Ghana launches DigiFest 2026 to accelerate digital innovation

By:   Nana Appiah Acquaye

MTN Ghana has launched DigiFest 2026 and Tech Fair in Accra, bringing together technology enthusiasts, innovators and industry stakeholders to explore emerging digital solutions and opportunities for Ghana to strengthen its position in Africa’s digital economy.

The well-attended event, held at the MTN Iconic House in Accra, is showcasing innovations across gaming, streaming, television, applications, home solutions, cloud services and enterprise technology.

Speaking at the launch, MTN Ghana Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett said the pace of digital evolution has accelerated significantly, noting that the company’s digital business is growing at almost 100 percent annually.

Blewett said MTN Ghana’s digital team is currently ranked third within the MTN Group and challenged the team to advance further, stressing the need to remain competitive as digital services continue to expand.

He said the growth of digital services must be driven by solutions that address real problems rather than technology developed without a clear customer need.

“The point of digital evolution is not to find solutions that people didn't want,” Blewett said, stressing that customer experience, including user interface and user experience design, is critical to the success of digital products.

He said Ghana is well positioned to become a leading source of digital solutions for the country, Africa and the global market because of its highly educated population and growing pool of innovative talent.

Blewett, however, said ideas must move beyond development and enter the market, requiring collective action from government, businesses, innovators and other stakeholders to build skills, develop local talent and create solutions for Africa’s real-world challenges.

Chief Digital Officer of MTN Ghana, Ibrahim Misto

In his remarks, the Chief Digital Officer of MTN Ghana, Ibrahim Misto, said DigiFest is intended to make innovation participatory rather than simply an exhibition where people observe new technologies.

He noted that the festival would expose participants to practical skills and new ideas while creating opportunities for co-creation with partners, communities, customers and employees.

According to Misto, DigiFest will feature masterclasses, events, conferences, immersive experiences and trade visits designed to bring MTN closer to customers while demonstrating its capabilities across gaming, streaming, television, applications, home services, cloud and enterprise solutions.

He stressed that innovation is not limited to a particular role or department but begins with identifying a problem, asking a question, recognising a pattern from a different perspective and having the courage to act.

Misto challenged participants to “travel to the future, bring one idea, and turn it into action,” arguing that major breakthroughs and innovations begin with an idea or curiosity that is eventually transformed into action.

The launch of DigiFest 2026 comes as MTN Ghana seeks to deepen digital innovation, strengthen local technology capabilities and encourage the development of solutions that can address customer and societal challenges while positioning Ghana as a stronger digital hub in the region.