MTN Group CEO rallies Africa’s youth around digital skills
The Group Chief Executive Officer of MTN, Ralph Mupita, has called on Africa’s youth to take digital skills seriously as the surest way to secure their future.
He said that the continent’s growing young population will either become its greatest strength or its biggest challenge, depending on how well they are equipped for the digital age.
Mr Mupita explained that coding, artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, and other technology-driven skills were no longer optional but essential for African youth to compete globally, create their own opportunities, and ensure the continent is not left behind in what he described as one of the most transformative technological revolutions of modern times.
He said this at the MTN House in Accra yesterday during an interaction with journalists and other stakeholders in a series known as MTN Bright Conversation.
The conversations, moderated by Emefa Apawu, touched on several issues, including digital skills and the role MTN was playing to mainstream and train the youth, the role of the company in driving financial inclusion, the rollout of 5G technology in Ghana and MTN’s future evolution in the country.
The MTN Group CEO was in the country for a two-day business trip to engage with the business in Ghana and its stakeholders.
Youth dividend
Mr Mupita pointed out that Africa was at a crossroads, with a rapidly expanding youth population that could shape the world’s future workforce.
By 2040, Africa would have the largest share of the world’s working-age people, a fact he described as both a potential blessing and a looming challenge.
The CEO stressed that governments and industry leaders must recognise the urgency of preparing young people for a digital economy, warning that without skills, the demographic advantage could turn into a crisis of unemployment and dependency.
Mr Mupita added that digital skills must be treated as a core requirement for survival in the 21st Century.
He equated the importance of learning to coding and understanding of AI to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The CEO further said that digital literacy was not just about using mobile phones and apps, but about building the capacity to create, innovate, and participate in the digital economy.
Mr Mupita said the company’s mission goes beyond connectivity, focusing instead on providing opportunities for dignity, hope and self-reliance.
He cited MTN’s investments in digital and financial inclusion initiatives, which provide young people with tools to save, transact and build businesses.
These, the CEO said, were designed not only to support consumption but also to encourage innovation.
Africa and AI
Mr Mupita further described AI as one of the most transformative technologies of modern times, comparing its significance to that of electricity and the Internet.
He cautioned that if Africa does not act quickly, it risks being left behind as the Global North invests billions of dollars in AI-driven solutions.
“We must make sure that Africa does not get left behind as billions and billions of dollars get invested in the Global North towards advancing economies,” he said.
He warned that failing to embrace AI and digital skilling could leave young Africans “underskilled and irrelevant” in a short period, stating that the global workforce is changing rapidly.
