MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ralph Mupita, has urged Africa to act decisively and swiftly in embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI), warning that any delay could see the continent left behind in what he describes as one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era.
Speaking in Accra during the Bright Conversation Series as part of his two-day working visit to Ghana, Mr. Mupita described AI as a “critical, foundational technology of our time” with the potential to reshape industries, economies, and societies on a scale comparable to electricity, the internet, and even the invention of the wheel.
AI as a foundational technology
Mr. Mupita was emphatic that Africa must not allow itself to be excluded from the unfolding revolution in AI.
“Africans must do anything to ensure that every boy and girl, wherever they are in Ghana or elsewhere on the continent, has access to the same capabilities as somebody living in Europe,” he said.
He stressed that this would require ingenuity, substantial investment, and relentless innovation.
According to him, AI is not a passing trend but a technology that will transform every industry and every way of working.
“We are at the very beginning of this foundational technology, so it’s important not to get left behind,” he warned.
The global divide in AI investment
Mr. Mupita noted that while billions of dollars are being poured into data centers, large AI models, and infrastructure in the global north, Africa risks being sidelined if it does not develop strategies to integrate the technology.
He underscored the reality that consumers in Africa can typically only afford about $3 worth of digital services per month, compared to $50 or more in the United States.
“This means Africa must be inventive in how it adapts solutions over time,” he explained.
Without deliberate planning, he cautioned, the continent will remain a consumer rather than a creator of AI-driven innovations.
The need for digital skills
As part of MTN’s strategy, Mr. Mupita revealed that the company is investing heavily in digital skills development, focusing on equipping Africans to engage with AI, learn coding, and design solutions tailored to local needs.
He described this as essential to ensure Africa builds its own AI ecosystem, rather than merely importing technologies developed elsewhere.
“It is one of the reasons MTN has focused on scaling digital skills, because part of digital skills is how people engage with AI and how people learn to code, so that the company and society can write solutions for Africa’s needs,” he said.
The risk of irrelevance
For Mr. Mupita, the stakes could not be higher. He argued that individuals, businesses, and governments that fail to engage with AI will soon find themselves irrelevant.
“If you’re not spending a bit of time to skill yourself in AI, you could be made irrelevant—and that could happen in a very short space of time,” he warned.
He insisted that Africans must view AI as a massive opportunity to accelerate progress rather than a threat, highlighting its potential to deliver enormous productivity benefits, create new businesses, and generate business models that do not exist today.
Africa’s moment of decision
Describing AI as an “important revolution,” Mr. Mupita called on African leaders, innovators, and citizens to recognize that the continent is already in the middle of this transformation—even if it is not always visible.
“We might not see it, but it’s here, and we must make sure that Africa is not left behind as billions and billions of dollars get invested in the global north towards advancing economies,” he said.
“All of us must be seized by this, and one way of looking at it is it’s a massive opportunity for taking Africans forward.”
The case for timely adoption
The MTN Group CEO’s message is clear: Africa cannot afford to hesitate.
Just as electricity, the internet, and mobile technology once defined new eras of human progress, AI is set to reshape the global economy.
If Africa lags, the cost will be measured in lost opportunities, widening inequality, and diminished competitiveness.
By investing in skills, fostering innovation, and building its own AI infrastructure, Africa can turn this technological wave into a catalyst for growth, job creation, and economic transformation. Delay, however, could mean permanent exclusion from the next phase of global progress.
