African Leaders Push for Digital Sovereignty and AI Integration

African policymakers and telecommunications executives convened at the MOBEX Africa Tech Innovation Conference in Accra and the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Africa in Kigali to strategize on digital sovereignty and inclusive growth. Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda, opened the MWC events by praising the shift to a mobile-driven economy but warned that persistent energy and infrastructure gaps could widen inequality if not addressed through harmonized policies.

Infrastructure investment is a primary focus for major providers. Ibrahim Misto of MTN Ghana announced that the company invested over $1 billion in Ghana's digital infrastructure over five years, including a $240 million expansion of 4G and 5G in 2025. Similarly, Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar announced the development of major data-center hubs in Nigeria and Kenya and the deployment of AI for fraud detection and energy optimization to move the continent toward a productivity-focused economy.

Financial and regulatory shifts are also underway. The Bank of Ghana reported that mobile money users reached 24 million by 2025 and is advancing a Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill and the eCedi CBDC. Experts highlighted the economic stakes of these transitions, with Doreen Bogdan-Martin projecting that AI could generate $2.9 trillion for the African economy and Vivek Badrinath stating that closing the usage gap could add $625 billion to the continent's GDP by 2030.