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MTN has reaffirmed its dedication to the advancement of Africa during the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, which were held recently in Peduase, Accra, Ghana.
The Africa Prosperity Network organized the program, which aimed to stimulate the continent’s economic and political development by bringing together influential business and government figures from Africa and abroad to discuss and share ideas on important problems and strategies for fostering and utilizing the continent’s growth.
Senior Vice President for Markets at MTN Group Ebenezer Asante urged stakeholders in the business and African governments to end the “tyranny of sovereignty” and promote international trade. He lamented the difficulties Africans encounter when attempting to make cross-border payments and transactions, while applauding Ghana’s government for its decision to allow Africans to travel without a visa.
He said, “The tyranny of sovereignty must end to allow proper trade and ease of doing business across West Africa. Technology continues to transform the way we trade, and we must leverage the immense opportunities it presents to trade within our borders. The tyranny of sovereignty is an impediment to progress because with our borders closed to each other, we cannot foster seamless trade. African countries must open their borders to each other to allow intercontinental trade.”
The discussion on “Critical Enablers for Single Market Success – Leveraging Infrastructure, Innovation, and Technology” featured contributions from Selorm Adadevoh, CEO of MTN Ghana, and Nompilo Morafo, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer of MTN Group.
Morafo emphasized the importance of business organizations participating in conversations that advance the development of Africa. She conveyed MTN’s excitement about taking part in programs like the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, which are essential for advancing financial and digital inclusion. Morafo stated, “What we hope for is that at the end of these dialogues, we will see policies and frameworks enacted to bring to life the wonderful ideas we discuss at these sessions towards the overall growth of the African continent”.
Adadevoh, echoed her sentiment highlighting the advantages of harnessing the power of the youth to push Africa to the forefront of technology. He said, “It is not enough to invest in the infrastructure without investing in the skills needed. Africa has the largest youth population in the world. We must harness the power of the youth by transforming our current educational system towards a more digital framework.”
Participating in a discussion on ‘Scaling Up Mobile Interoperability to Deepen Financial Inclusion and Intra-African Trade,’ Eli Hini, CEO of MoMo PSB Limited Nigeria, highlighted the importance of involving Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in achieving interoperability across African countries. He shared,” Ease of participation is a crucial factor in the discussion of interoperability if we want to deepen financial inclusion and intra-Africa trade. If we are finally able to get the framework and structures that allow us to trade among ourselves, then we must take into consideration the ease of participation. SMEs, often grappling with challenges in cross-border trade, should be a focal point. It will be a waste of time to solve the issue of cross-border trade if SMEs cannot benefit from it. They must be well integrated into the system and given the access that they need to leverage the benefits of this agenda. We must be careful not to put up roadblocks that hinder their participation.”
MTN is inspired by Africa’s potential and remains committed to bridging the digital divide, furthering financial inclusion, and advancing the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through its core business activities and its support to governments, communities, and customers.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
