A two-day Innovation Africa Digital Summit which focuses on the transformation of the telecom sector started here in Addis Ababa today.
Speaking on the occasion, International Telecommunication Union Regional Office for Africa Representative Caroline Gaju said the theme digital Africa is a reminder to all of us to combine efforts and work together to build an inclusive and sustainable digital future.
Africa’s digital transformation is indeed central to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and it aligns with ITU strategic goals of universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation, she added.
According to her, Africa has seen an increased demand for digital connectivity and access to digital services in the past few years.
Between 2019 and 2021, internet use in Africa increased by 23 percent and approximately 40 percent of the population was using the internet in 2020.
“Despite the increased demand, access to connectivity, reliable and robust digital infrastructure, are among the major challenges faced to advance digital transformation in Africa. Digital skills that enable citizens to leverage digital technologies remain critical and the active involvement of girls and young women through gender transformative policies and gender mainstreaming in education are powerful means to bridge the digital gender divide and enable digital inclusion.”
The biggest percentage of the population in Africa, approximately 70 percent are still below the age of 30, and as the leaders of tomorrow it’s fundamental that youth engagement is prioritized to drive innovation and entrepreneurship, she stated.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 760 million users have registered the use of mobile money services, which is one example of technology as a cross cutting for Digital Inclusion and Social and Economic Development.
Ethiopia’s Innovation and Technology Minister, Belete Mola said on his part that the government’s decision to liberalize and open up the telecom sector has brought significant changes to the sector, promoting competition, innovation, and investment and creating a strong digital ecosystem that is crucial to the country’s digital transformation.
In 2019, the government announced a major reform of the sector, which included the liberalization and opening up of the sector.
He noted that the reform has enabled ethio telecom to spearhead new strategies and the telecom sector is growing rapidly.
Access to mobile reached 68 million, which was around 32 million in 2019, while internet access surpassed 32 million, which was around 17 million 3 years back, the minister stated.
The proliferation of fintechs including digital payments, such as Telebirr, CBE Birr, and other products has also reached out to millions.
“For instance, Ethiopia’s digital payment ecosystem has facilitated transfers of over 1.2 trillion Birr in the past nine months, which is a big increase of 169 percent compared to the past fiscal year, which saw 454.01 billion Birr in digital money transfers.”
Belete further noted that one of the most promising areas of innovation is the use of artificial intelligence to analyze and extract insights from data which can be used to improve customer service, develop new products and services, and optimize network operations.
Safaricom Ethiopia Chief External Affairs and Regulatory Officer, Henok Tefera said the role of telecom companies such Safaricom is critical to contribute to the digitalization and development of Africa.
The company strongly believes in the Ethiopian market and success of the Ethiopian people, he stated, adding that Safaricom Ethiopia is heavily investing on the telecom sector in the country to enable the success of the Ethiopian digitalization drive.
“We have invested over 1.6 billion USD so far, to set up our shop and to enable the success of the Ethiopian digitalization drive. In line with our government’s 2025 digital transformation vision, we are also implementing a very aggressive infrastructure development plan through 4G connectivity.”
The chief officer pointed out that Safaricom Ethiopia will empower the dynamic and innovative youth in the 120-million-people country to pick the right skills to contribute to the success of the Ethiopian digitalization drive.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency