MTN Nigeria highlights path for Africa’s digital revolution

MTN Nigeria has outlined a transformative vision for Africa’s digital future, emphasising the continent’s unique advantages in the global tech landscape.

Shoyinka Shodunke, Chief Information Officer, MTN Nigeria, gave insights into the company’s strategy for driving a digital revolution across the continent at the Tech Revolution Africa 2025 conference in Lagos.

Speaking on “Africa’s Tech Revolution: Infrastructure, AI and the Path to Prosperity,” Shodunke highlighted what he termed the “African Advantage” – the continent’s demographic dividend where 60 per cent of the population is under 25 years old, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for digital transformation and technology adoption.

“If you’re not playing in disruption, someone else is disrupting you!” Shodunke declared, setting the tone for a session that detailed how Africa’s digital economy is not merely expanding but accelerating at an exponential pace.

He outlined a comprehensive framework for digital transformation, introducing the “Six D’s of Impact”: Digitisation, Deception, Disruption, Demonetisation, Dematerialisation, and Democratisation.

The CIO revealed how the telecommunications giant positions itself at the forefront of this digital revolution, announcing several groundbreaking initiatives. Notable among these is a Tier 4 state-of-the-art data centre project currently under construction in Lagos, demonstrating MTN’s commitment to building robust digital infrastructure.

Shodunke’s presentation delved into the crucial “Nexus of Forces” – the convergence of Social, Mobile, Information, and Cloud technologies – that he believes drives Africa’s tech transformation. He also introduced the concept of “agentic AI,” discussing how MTN Nigeria is leveraging emerging technologies to disrupt traditional business models and create new value propositions.

In addressing the startup ecosystem, Shodunke provided practical insights for emerging tech companies, emphasising three critical success factors: infrastructure cost optimisation, scalability-focused growth strategies, and sustained investment in research and development. He stressed the importance of maintaining a customer-centric approach while building scalable solutions.

MTN’s vision extends beyond traditional connectivity services, as evidenced by its showcase of new digital solutions spanning the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and cloud services.

Shodunke emphasised that future market leaders will be distinguished by their focus on superior user experience rather than mere service provision.