Africa-Press – Ghana. In her keynote address at the Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) forum during the recent 3i Africa Summit, Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO of Telecel Ghana, emphasized the critical role of partnerships, sustained investment in start-ups, and digital literacy programs in driving Africa’s digital innovation.
Addressing the theme “Digital Infrastructure and Innovation: Accelerating Africa’s Development,” Obo-Nai highlighted the opportunity presented by the post-COVID-19 era to build resilient and inclusive digital infrastructure. She noted the significant connectivity gap in Africa, with only 25% of Africans connected to the internet according to the GSMA 2023 Report.
Obo-Nai stressed the importance of comprehensive infrastructure, including fibre, data centres, and reliable energy, to bridge this gap and prevent disruptions like recent undersea cable damages.
She emphasized the need for partnerships in infrastructure development, citing the World Bank’s estimate of $109 billion required to close the digital infrastructure gap by 2030. Obo-Nai underscored the necessity of broad partnerships between governments and private sector players to mobilize funding.
Turning to start-up innovation, Obo-Nai highlighted Africa’s vast potential in the digital economy, projected to reach $180 billion by 2025. However, she noted the challenge of scaling innovations due to insufficient investment. She called for greater investment in tech start-ups to leverage their innovations for accelerated development.
Lastly, Obo-Nai emphasized the importance of driving adoption and inclusivity in digital innovation. With Africa’s working population projected to reach 450 million by 2035, she emphasized the need for digital literacy programs to equip youth with employable skills in coding, digital marketing, and data analytics.
Obo-Nai concluded by urging action and implementation of these strategies with speed to realize accelerated development across Africa.
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