Digitnomics 
By Admin
MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita, has called for stronger Pan-African integration, warning that xenophobia and restrictive borders could undermine Africa’s digital and economic future.
Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation Winter Seminar on July 23, Mupita said Africa’s next phase of growth will depend on how effectively countries collaborate across borders to enable trade, innovation and the free movement of talent.
“The digital economy we are fast moving to knows no borders,” Mupita said, stressing that digital transformation requires policies that encourage openness rather than exclusion.
He argued that while the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides a framework for boosting intra-African trade, its success will also depend on eliminating social and political barriers that discourage cross-border collaboration.
According to him, businesses operating across Africa have already demonstrated the economic value of regional integration.
Highlighting MTN’s footprint across the continent, Mupita revealed that between 80 and 82 per cent of the company’s earnings come from markets outside South Africa, illustrating the growing interdependence of African economies.
“We earn about 80 to 82 per cent of our earnings from outside South Africa,” he said.
Mupita noted that governments have a critical role to play by providing predictable policies and regulatory certainty that attract investment and encourage innovation.
“The future of Africa will not be determined by the borders that separate us, but by the economic opportunities that connect us. Governments must set predictable policy and regulations. Businesses will follow and allocate resources and capital. Together, we can build a continent where opportunity is more evenly shared and prosperity is more widely created,” he said.
He also described migration as an important driver of economic development, saying the movement of people supports the exchange of skills, entrepreneurship and innovation across the continent.
His remarks come as African governments continue efforts to deepen regional economic integration through the AfCFTA while accelerating digital transformation. Industry observers believe reducing barriers to trade, investment and talent mobility will be essential if Africa is to build a competitive digital economy capable of attracting global capital and creating sustainable jobs.
