MTN Ghana says it is strengthening its digital infrastructure and expanding investments in artificial intelligence (AI) to position itself as a leading force in Africa’s emerging AI-driven economy.
Speaking at the Rethink Africa Intelligence Conference 2026, MTN executives highlighted the company’s strategic shift from traditional telecom services toward becoming a key enabler of AI ecosystems across the continent.
Mr Ibrahim Misto, Chief Digital Officer of MTN, said the company is building platforms designed to connect governments, startups, and enterprises to scalable digital infrastructure.
“We need to create value-added packages and experiences, monetise them, and assure customers their data will be anonymised,” Misto said, stressing the importance of trust, regulation, and responsible data use in AI expansion.
He added that MTN’s long-term goal is to serve as an “orchestrator” of digital ecosystems, enabling innovation across multiple sectors while ensuring secure, compliant data systems.
MTN Ghana’s ambition is backed by significant capital commitments. The company recently announced plans to invest about $1.1 billion over the next three years to expand network capacity, build data centres, and strengthen AI and cloud infrastructure across the country.
MTN Group leadership has also emphasised Africa’s broader need to localise AI development and build sovereign digital systems.
“We must develop our own talent on the African continent; we must develop our own software engineers, and we must be doing more around coding to enable us to all be future fit,” said MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita.
Industry stakeholders at the conference noted that Africa’s ability to compete in the global AI economy will depend on infrastructure readiness, data governance, and local talent development.
Experts also warned that without rapid investment in connectivity and energy systems, the continent risks missing out on the economic benefits of the AI revolution.
MTN Ghana says its evolving strategy reflects a broader transformation of telecommunications firms into digital infrastructure providers, positioning the company at the centre of Africa’s next technology wave.
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