Africa-Press – Gambia. To expedite the expansion of digital public infrastructure across Africa, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO of Telecel Ghana, passionately called for enhanced multilateral partnerships and collaboration among the continent’s governments, businesses, and investors.
Addressing the Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) session at the recent 3i Africa Summit in Accra, Obo-Nai emphasized the imperative of digital infrastructure and innovation in accelerating Africa’s development.
Reports on mobile internet connectivity in Africa highlight that 15% of Sub-Saharan Africans lack access, while 59% have coverage but are inadequately connected. Obo-Nai stressed the need for stakeholder cooperation to conduct comprehensive digital mapping of Africa to address the wide connectivity, access, and usage disparities.
Telecel, as a service provider, believes in investing in network infrastructure. However, Obo-Nai underscored the importance of co-investment and infrastructure-sharing schemes to bridge the gap and achieve universal internet access, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 9.
Highlighting Africa’s digital economy as a significant investment opportunity, with the potential to boost GDP by US$180 billion by 2025, Obo-Nai urged stakeholders to invest in Africa’s innovative capacity, particularly in education and industry priorities.
She emphasized the need for Africans to harness their inventive potential by investing in digital literacy courses, starting from elementary school, to prepare the youth for tech opportunities in the digital landscape. With Africa’s working-age population projected to reach 450 million by 2035, increasing internet accessibility can unlock millions of job opportunities and upskill young people.
Obo-Nai urged governments and businesses to move beyond discussions and take action on agreed-upon solutions to ensure that digital public infrastructure accelerates Africa’s growth.
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