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Shaibu Haruna, Chief Executive Officer of Mobile Money Limited, a subsidiary of Scancom Plc (MTN Ghana), has called for a collaborative approach to addressing Africa’s digital divide.
Speaking as a panellist on ‘Leveraging Digital Infrastructure, Innovation, and Technology to Connect Africa’ at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025 on Friday, January 31, 2025, in Accra, Haruna highlighted the barriers preventing millions from accessing digital services.
He referenced the GSMA Mobile Economy Report 2020, which indicates that Africa has a mobile usage gap of about 60%. “With Africa’s population at approximately 1.4 billion, this means a majority remain excluded from digital opportunities,” he stated.
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A major hurdle, according to Haruna, is the affordability of smart devices. Many Africans rely on basic feature phones that lack the capability to support advanced digital services. “Digital inclusivity requires making smart devices accessible to the average citizen. We must rethink strategies to ensure affordability,” he stressed.
Haruna urged stakeholders, including governments and private sector players, to work together to bridge the digital gap and ensure that digital technology benefits all Africans.
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