MTN Group is positioning itself at the center of Africa’s digital transformation conversation as Mobile World Congress Kigali 2025 unfolds from October 21 to 23 at the Kigali Convention Centre. The telecommunications giant’s presence at the continent’s premier technology gathering reflects its evolution from traditional operator to platform-led digital ecosystem.
Ralph Mupita, MTN Group President and CEO, will deliver the opening keynote titled “Africa’s Future First: Determining the Path to a Digital Future,” examining how the continent navigates its digital evolution at a crucial juncture. The discussion takes on added weight given projections that Africa’s unique mobile subscribers will surpass 700 million by 2030, creating both massive opportunities and persistent infrastructure challenges.
The keynote will explore familiar yet unresolved issues: closing the usage gap, expanding broadband access, and harnessing emerging technologies like 5G, fintech, and generative artificial intelligence. These aren’t new challenges, but Mupita’s perspective carries particular authority given his role as Deputy Chair of the GSMA and his position on the UN and ITU-affiliated Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.
Beyond Mupita’s headline appearance, MTN executives will participate in panels addressing infrastructure investment, fintech adoption, AI innovation, and online safety. The company’s exhibition stand promises an immersive experience centered on three flagship platforms that embody its strategic pivot.
MoMo, the mobile money solution that has become synonymous with financial inclusion across MTN’s markets, takes center stage alongside Bayobab, which strengthens continental infrastructure and connectivity. Chenosis, perhaps less familiar to consumers, supports developers through open APIs designed to stimulate innovation across the digital ecosystem.
The stand will also feature the MTN Skills Academy, a capacity-building initiative that has attracted over 228,000 subscribers who have completed more than 97,000 learning activities. These numbers suggest genuine engagement rather than mere registration, though whether the academy translates to meaningful employment pathways remains an open question.
In partnership with Ericsson, MTN will demonstrate several 5G applications that move beyond theoretical benefits. HADO, an augmented reality game being showcased in Africa for the first time, will illustrate low latency capabilities relevant for interactive learning, remote clinical support, and entertainment. A 5G connected robotic dog will demonstrate how such technologies might improve safety and operational efficiency in mining, utilities, and energy sectors.
Ray-Ban smart glasses featuring neural gesture control will point toward future possibilities in accessibility and workforce productivity, though their practical application in African contexts may require creative adaptation. These demonstrations aim to show how 5G can transform education, health, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing across the continent.
The event brings together leaders from government, industry, and technology sectors under GSMA hosting, with Rwanda serving as an increasingly important technology hub. President Paul Kagame will formally open the conference, underscoring the political importance African governments attach to digital transformation narratives.
As a founding partner of MWC Africa, MTN has consistently valued the platform for listening, learning, and exchanging ideas with peers and partners. The company’s participation reflects what it describes as a long-standing commitment to building networks and platforms that deliver value today while advancing technologies that will shape tomorrow.
Whether these demonstrations translate to tangible improvements in connectivity, affordability, and access for ordinary Africans remains the ultimate test. The technology exists, the platforms are being built, and the vision articulates clearly. Implementation across diverse markets with varying infrastructure capabilities, regulatory environments, and consumer purchasing power presents the real challenge that no exhibition stand can fully capture.
For now, MTN’s message emphasizes progress, partnership, and platform thinking as the pathway forward. The three days in Kigali offer a stage to reinforce that narrative to policymakers, partners, and competitors alike.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
