MTN Group CEO urges enabling frameworks, cyber resilience as Africa’s digital growth advances

By Juliet ETEFE

MTN Group Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita has underscored the need for enabling regulatory frameworks and investment in cyber resilience as Africa works to advance its digital growth journey.

He stressed that, while the continent’s digital economy is advancing, the journey is still at the “beginning of the beginning” and requires deliberate action to scale up if Africa is to seize opportunities in connectivity, financial inclusion and innovation.

Speaking during the MTN Bright Conversations series in Accra, Mr. Mupita said the next phase of growth will depend on both the public and private sectors creating an environment that attracts investment, expands infrastructure, and safeguards users against rising cyber threats.

He added that while significant progress has been made, much more remains to be done to expand digital inclusion, unlock the benefits of 5G, and strengthen financial services across the continent.

Ghana’s role in group performance

Mr. Mupita noted that Ghana remains a critical market for MTN, contributing strongly to the Group’s robust half-year results.“Ghana played a tremendously important part in delivering those results… the Group results would not have been as strong without MTN Ghana,” he remarked.

MTN’s performance in the first half of 2025 shows a 4.7 percent growth in subscribers across Africa, bringing the total to 297.7 million. Mobile money users rose to 63.2 million, while active data subscribers increased by 10.3 percent to 164.4 million, accompanied by strong growth in data traffic and fintech services.

He also highlighted the company’s tax contributions and broader social impact, noting that technology continues to give ordinary Africans dignity and opportunity, from market women selling vegetables to entrepreneurs building digital businesses.

He praised reforms being pursued by Ghana’s Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation describing them as fostering a stronger digital economy.

Post-2025 strategy

Reflecting on MTN’s Ambition 2025, Mr. Mupita said the roadmap has largely met its targets, but consumer needs have grown. Looking ahead, MTN is positioning itself around three businesses: connectivity, FinTech, and digital infrastructure.

“We are now looking beyond 2025 and excited about opportunities to 2030 and beyond,” he said.

Central to this vision is expanding high-quality connectivity, particularly for homes and enterprises, and ensuring Africans are not left behind in foundational technologies such as artificial intelligence.

5G spectrum

On spectrum, he revealed that Ghana is the only major MTN market yet to access 5G however discussions with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation are ongoing, which he described as constructive.

He emphasised that 5G spectrum is critical for low-latency applications in industries such as mining, logistics and refineries, and for delivering reliable home connectivity through fixed wireless access.

“We have done a lot to improve on 3G and 4G, but ultimately we have to get to 5G,” he stressed.

Affordability and inclusion

Responding to public concerns over high data costs and device affordability, Mr. Mupita said such demands are legitimate but require operators to balance pricing with heavy capital investment.

He cited GSMA research for Sub-Saharan Africa that indicates that gradually sunsetting legacy 2G/3G networks can improve efficiency and affordability.

“So there is a whole range of things that need to be arranged to bring more affordability, more services,” he said.

Mobile money, he added, remains one of MTN’s strongest growth drivers, with about 63 million users across markets. The focus is shifting to advanced services such as payments, e-commerce, remittances and bank-tech solutions. While MTN does not currently see itself as a bank, he did not rule out the possibility of seeking a banking licence in the future should customer needs demand it.

Tackling fraud

On mobile money fraud and cybersecurity, Mr. Mupita acknowledged the growing threat, noting that MTN is investing heavily in cyber resilience, including partnerships with global institutions, the use of artificial intelligence for threat detection, and strict KYC and anti-money laundering processes.

“We are going to have to be more vigilant about cyber resilience and invest more in tools around threat detection and eviction,” he emphasised.

Youth and skills

The Group CEO also stressed the importance of digital skills for Africa’s youth, describing them as a “foundational capability” as important as literacy and numeracy. “From there comes relevance, from there comes the skills to build their own businesses,” he said, urging parents and educators to prioritise coding and AI literacy.