How telecoms is helping unlock Africa’s true potential

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frican development is in the midst of a digital revolution which is exciting, different and disruptive, including in the critical area of education. March will see a much-anticipated event, hosted at the University of Rwanda. It is the First African Education Summit, the first, we hope, of many.

Schools and colleges comprise just one sector in which the telecommunications business is leading the way in unlocking the continent’s potential, which has been stifled for years by infrastructure that has been allowed to decay or was never there in the first place.

Advances in digital communications, such as the roll-out of 4G networks, are helping Africans to leapfrog intermediate stages of development and seize the advantages of the latest technology. In the words of Inside Telecom magazine: “Telecommunications in Africa are already playing a fundamental role in African society. This sector has created a closed circuit of economic growth and innovation.”

The continent abounds with challenges and opportunities and telecoms companies, such as Airtel Africa Plc listed here in London, are central to meeting them. Let’s look at some examples.

Through their phones, small farmers can find out how much they should be charging for their crops, and with the sub Saharan post pandemic out-of-school rate at 31%, digital learning has a huge role to play.