Africa must lead the next wave of digital innovation – MTN CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has made a compelling call for Africa to take the lead in global digital innovation, challenging the long-held perception that transformative technologies must emerge from outside the continent.

Speaking at the 2025 MTN Editors’ Forum for the Savannah, Northern, North East, and Upper East Regions in Tamale, Mr. Blewett asked a thought-provoking question:

“Why do we always have to get everything from somewhere else? Why can’t the next Instagram, Facebook—whatever you want to think about—come from here?”

He affirmed that there is no reason why the next big global tech breakthrough can’t originate in Africa, highlighting the continent’s youthful population as its greatest asset.

“Our young people are hungry, capable, and understand what it takes to innovate,” he said.

As part of its vision to nurture digital creators rather than consumers, MTN Ghana is backing the government’s 1,000 Coders Project—an initiative designed to train young Ghanaians in coding and artificial intelligence.

“It’s about empowering the youth with the tools to create, to innovate, and to believe in themselves,” Mr. Blewett said.

Mr. Blewett disclosed that MTN Ghana has invested over $1 billion in network infrastructure over the past five years, with $240 million allocated for 2025 alone.

“Often, people ask how we manage to operate our network successfully. The answer is simple—you have to keep spending. The day you stop, that’s the day challenges begin.”

Some of the outcomes of this investment include:

• Deployment of over 5,000 new sites across Ghana
• 87.5% of data traffic now on 4G
• Expansion and relocation of 130 km of fibre to boost resilience

Despite these advances, Mr. Blewett raised alarm over the frequency of fiber cuts, calling them a “massive plague” on MTN’s operations.

“We experience an average of four fiber cuts per day across the country. These disruptions have a serious impact on the nation’s communication backbone.”

While he commended the Ministry of Communications for working to address the issue, he stressed that safeguarding digital infrastructure requires collective responsibility.

“This is not just MTN’s problem—it’s Ghana’s problem. We all have a role to play in protecting critical infrastructure.”

About the Editors’ Forum

The Editors’ Forum is an annual engagement organised by MTN Ghana to connect with media professionals, share operational updates, and address region-specific issues. The 2025 edition placed a strong focus on:

• Digital inclusion
• Network expansion
• Local capacity building

Mr. Blewett’s message was clear: Africa has what it takes to lead in digital innovation—what’s needed now is belief, investment, and bold action.