Airtel Africa CEO challenges telecom Industry to leverage on emerging technologies

Emerging technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and intelligent connectivity have the potential to revolutionize the way people connect, engage, and transact in Africa, says Airtel Africa Group CEO Segun Ogunsanya.

In a speech at the Mobile World Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, Ogunsanya challenged the telecommunications industry to leverage these technologies to bridge the digital divide, drive financial inclusion, and deepen the availability of affordable smart devices on the continent.

He noted that a significant proportion of Africa's young population still remains unreached with 59% smartphone penetration and only two out of ten Africans have a mobile money wallet.

Emerging technologies can be used to address these challenges, Ogunsanya said. For example, AI-aided e-learning can be used to design the best curriculum based on students' learning abilities, while e-health can be used to improve patient monitoring and make health facilities more efficient.

“The telecom industry is in a unique position to make it easier for people to enter the digital world by deploying these technologies. This is through significant investments in building digital highways across the continent, while creating a vibrant mobile money ecosystem. Through collaborations with  quipment manufacturers and other key stakeholders, we can put smart devices in the hands of every African.” Dr Ogunsanya said.

Agritech can also use AI and connectivity to develop crop disease detection tools, and financial inclusion can be boosted by triangulating the digital highway, unified payment systems, and intelligent mobile wallets.

Ogunsanya also highlighted the potential of emerging technologies to be used in smart cities for safe communities and efficient public utilities, in development planning to predict population movements and help governments design urban and rural development, and in smart metering for accurate measurement of usage, enhanced sustainability, and improved customer experience.

Airtel Africa is itself leading the way in adopting emerging technologies by rolling out a 5G network across its 14 markets in Africa and has recently announced a collaboration with the Government of Rwanda to provide over 1 million people in the country with affordable high-speed, cutting-edge LTE smartphones.

Ogunsanya's call to action is a timely one. Africa is a continent with immense potential, but it is also a continent with significant challenges. Emerging technologies have the power to help Africa overcome these challenges and achieve its full potential.