Ebenezer Asante, MTN Group Vice President for Ghana and Southern and East Africa, emphasized the critical need for partnerships across sectors to connect Africa’s remaining one billion people without mobile internet access during CNN International’s inaugural Global Perspectives event in London on November 3, 2025.
Speaking to CNN’s Larry Madowo, Asante stressed that collaboration between competitors, investors, governments, multilateral agencies and development fund providers has become essential for expanding connectivity. He warned that without these strategic partnerships, the telecommunications industry cannot reach the population still operating in what he described as the voice era.
Internet adoption in Africa lags significantly behind global standards, with only 38 percent of the population using the internet according to the International Telecommunication Union, compared to a global average of 68 percent. The GSMA estimates that closing this usage gap could add approximately 700 billion US dollars to GDP in sub-Saharan Africa between 2024 and 2030.
Asante outlined a three-pronged approach to achieve these connectivity goals. The strategy includes driving innovation to reduce deployment costs substantially below current levels, implementing smart regulation that facilitates rather than hinders expansion, and developing talent and skills within the telecommunications sector. These elements, he argued, must work in concert to unlock the economic potential that widespread digital access promises.
Serigne Dioum, MTN Group Fintech CEO, also participated in panel discussions focused on building Africa’s next generation startup ecosystem. He demonstrated how fintech innovation, particularly through MTN Mobile Money, bridges funding gaps, formalizes informal economies, and creates more inclusive digital marketplaces. Dioum emphasized the alignment between mobile operators and regulators on driving financial inclusion and enabling financial independence.
MTN Group currently serves more than 300 million subscribers across 16 markets in Africa and the Middle East. The company’s financial services platform supports over 63 million active Mobile Money users who conducted more than 20 billion transactions valued at over 320 billion US dollars in 2024. The first half of 2025 saw the platform process over 11 billion transactions worth more than 212 billion US dollars.
The CNN Global Perspectives event brought together over 300 attendees and featured prominent speakers including World Trade Organization Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Judith Suminwa Tuluka. MTN served as a key sponsor for the event, which explored Africa’s role in shaping global economic transformation.
The gathering highlighted the continent’s economic potential amid challenges in digital inclusion. Participants examined how innovative partnerships, regulatory reform, and infrastructure investment can accelerate connectivity expansion and economic development across African markets. The discussions reflected growing recognition that bridging the digital divide requires coordinated efforts from multiple stakeholders rather than isolated initiatives.
