Collins Sefa MTN Group Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita, has highlighted the urgent need for enabling regulatory frameworks and greater investment in cyber resilience as Africa pushes forward on its digital transformation journey.
Speaking at the MTN Bright Conversations series in Accra, Mr. Mupita stressed that while progress has been made, Africa is still at the “beginning of the beginning” in building a truly inclusive digital economy. He called for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to attract investment, expand infrastructure, and protect users from rising cyber threats.
Ghana’s Role in MTN’s Growth
Mr. Mupita underscored Ghana’s importance to the Group’s success, describing the country as a key contributor to MTN’s strong half-year results.
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MTN’s Africa-wide subscriber base grew by 4.7% to 297.7 million in the first half of 2025.
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Mobile money users reached 63.2 million, while active data subscribers grew 10.3% to 164.4 million.
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Data traffic and fintech services also recorded strong growth.
He praised Ghana’s ongoing digital reforms, saying they are helping to build a stronger economy and provide dignity and opportunity for citizens—from small traders to digital entrepreneurs.
Beyond 2025: A New Vision
Reflecting on the company’s Ambition 2025 strategy, Mr. Mupita said MTN had largely met its goals but is now planning for 2030 and beyond.
The focus will be on:
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Connectivity – expanding reliable, high-quality access, including for homes and enterprises.
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FinTech – scaling services in payments, e-commerce, and remittances.
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Digital Infrastructure – investing in technologies such as artificial intelligence.
5G Spectrum and Affordability
Mr. Mupita confirmed that Ghana remains the only major MTN market yet to roll out 5G spectrum, though constructive talks with the Ministry of Communications are ongoing.
He emphasised that 5G is essential for industries such as mining and logistics, as well as for delivering dependable home connectivity.
On affordability concerns, he acknowledged public frustrations over high data costs and devices but explained that operators must balance pricing with heavy capital investments. He pointed to GSMA research showing that gradually phasing out 2G and 3G networks can lower costs and improve efficiency.
Mobile Money and Cybersecurity
Mobile money continues to drive MTN’s growth, with 63 million users across markets. The focus is now on advanced services including e-commerce, remittances, and banking solutions.
On mobile money fraud and cyber threats, Mr. Mupita said MTN is investing heavily in AI-powered threat detection, global security partnerships, and stricter KYC and anti-money laundering measures.
“We are going to have to be more vigilant about cyber resilience and invest more in tools around threat detection and eviction,” he said.
Youth and Digital Skills
The MTN CEO concluded by stressing the need for digital skills development among African youth, describing coding and AI literacy as “foundational capabilities” just as important as numeracy and literacy.
“From there comes relevance, from there comes the skills to build their own businesses,” he said, urging educators and parents to prioritise digital education.
