Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO of Telecel Ghana, urged African nations to strengthen partnerships between governments, businesses, and investors to accelerate the growth of digital infrastructure across the continent.
Speaking at the Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) session of the 3i Africa Summit, Obo-Nai outlined a three-pronged approach for leveraging technology:
- Infrastructure Expansion: Obo-Nai stressed the need for safe, reliable, and high-quality communication networks, advocating for infrastructure sharing and co-investment programs to bridge the coverage gap.
- Innovation Investment: Highlighting Africa’s digital economy’s potential, Obo-Nai called for investment in innovation, prioritizing invention in education and industry.
- Digital Literacy Programs: Obo-Nai emphasized the importance of equipping Africa’s youth with digital skills by scaling up and adopting digital literacy programs in schools.
She pointed out Africa’s growing young population and the millions of job opportunities that could be created by expanding internet access and upskilling young people for the digital world.
Obo-Nai concluded by urging stakeholders to move beyond discussions and implement shared solutions to unlock Africa’s full potential for development through digital infrastructure.
