MTN Ghana Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Blewett, has underscored Africa’s potential to drive the next global wave of digital innovation, challenging the notion that groundbreaking tech developments must originate outside the continent.

Speaking at the 2025 MTN Editors' Forum for the Savannah, Northern, North East, and Upper East Regions in Tamale, Mr. Blewett questioned why Africa has often been a consumer rather than a creator in the digital space.

“Why do we always have to get everything from somewhere else? Why can’t the next Instagram, Facebook—whatever you want to think about—come from here?” he asked. “There’s no reason the next big thing in the digital world can’t or shouldn’t come from Africa.”

He pointed to Africa’s youthful and entrepreneurial population as a key asset, saying, “Our young people are hungry, capable, and understand what it takes to innovate.”

To support this vision, MTN is backing the government’s One Million coders project—an initiative aimed at equipping young Ghanaians with skills in coding and artificial intelligence. “It’s about empowering the youth with the tools to create, to innovate, and to believe in themselves,” Mr. Blewett added.

Heavy Investment in Digital Infrastructure

Mr. Blewett also revealed that MTN Ghana has invested over $1 billion in its network infrastructure over the past five years, with $240 million earmarked for 2025 alone.

“Often, people ask how we manage to operate our network successfully. The answer is simple—you have to keep spending. The day you stop, that’s the day challenges begin,” he said.

MTN has rolled out over 5,000 new sites nationwide, with 87.5% of data traffic now carried on 4G technology. The company has also expanded its fiber infrastructure, relocating 130 km of fiber to strengthen resilience and enhance capacity.

Despite these investments, Mr. Blewett identified fiber cuts as a major operational hurdle, disclosing that MTN experiences an average of four fiber cuts per day across the country.

“Fiber cuts are a massive plague on our business. These disruptions have a serious impact on the nation’s communication backbone.”

He acknowledged the Ministry of Communications’ efforts in addressing the issue but urged greater public awareness and support. “This is not just MTN’s problem—it’s Ghana’s problem. We all have a role to play in protecting critical infrastructure.”

The Editors’ Forum is an annual event organised by MTN Ghana to engage media professionals, share insights into the company’s operations, and address regional concerns. This year’s forum focused heavily on digital inclusion, network expansion, and local capacity building.