At Huawei’s Day0 Forum 2024, held on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2024, Chika Ekeji, MTN Group’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, gave a keynote address and discussed how 5G will drive digital advancement in Africa. We explained how we are promoting it.
Highlighting the opportunities that 5G brings for value creation, Ekeji explained that MTN aims to reap the benefits of 5G across Africa. The group is present in 19 markets and has a user base approaching 300 million people.
He noted that 5G needs to be seen in context, which is of course different in Africa and developed markets. MTN is focused on delivering the benefits of modern, connected living to everyone, and delivering this requires a well-thought-out strategy. To achieve this, MTN is focusing on his four strategic priorities: Promoting industry-leading connectivity operations. Creating shared value. and accelerate portfolio transformation.
Looking at 5G capabilities to enable use cases in Africa, Ekeji said the technology is initially enabling enhanced mobile broadband and improved fixed wireless access across the continent, with further 5G He said increased adoption is driving industrial use cases that require IoT at scale. Reliable connectivity allows us to support enhanced network slicing, provide enhanced security, and meet more diverse requirements for Africa’s digital advancement.
Since 2020, MTN has launched 5G in four African markets: South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia and Uganda. Ekeji said that the coverage of MTN Group’s 5G network has reached approximately 50 million people, with EMBB and FWA use cases driving uptake to date, and that 5G data accounts for the entire network traffic. He pointed out that it accounts for about 3-5%. He also touched on the importance of private networks (of growing interest in the corporate sector in Africa). MTN aims to deploy more 5G markets and expand 5G population coverage to up to 10 million people by the end of 2024.
Ekeji outlined three main “horizons” for 5G use cases, noting that core connectivity is of course the foundation, with premium connectivity enabling scenarios such as edge computing, B2B connectivity, and private networks. did. Operators will then proceed to develop solutions that support a variety of use cases, including IoT, AR/VR, and B2B2C monetization.
Ekeji shared GSMA estimates showing that the GDP impact of 5G in sub-Saharan Africa could reach USD 26 billion by 2030, which would be around 0.48% of the region’s economy by then. It is said to be equivalent to He pointed out that the retail, manufacturing and agriculture sectors in particular will benefit from enhanced 5G connectivity, while many other sectors will also see efficiency gains.
Ekeji argued that the social value of 5G is as important as the economic value. With fixed broadband penetration typically below 2% in many African markets, 5G presents an opportunity to further democratize internet access. Ekeji noted that 5G could create more opportunities in both healthcare and education, further enhancing the social impact it enables.
Ekeji began by focusing on each of these areas and exploring the potential of 5G in Africa’s mining industry. Mining is a key pillar of the continent’s economy and will greatly benefit from the efficiency gains enabled by the implementation of 5G. He emphasized that even basic network connectivity enables scenarios that improve the operational efficiency of the mining industry. Further benefits can be realized by implementing advanced technologies such as 5G + IoT, AI surveillance, and drones. Many of these use cases can also be applied to port management logistics, and Ekeji believes that remote operation, monitoring, and AR assistance can enable autonomous workflows, improved energy efficiency, and increased productivity in that area. It is pointed out that.
On the theme of healthcare, Ekeji elaborated on the challenges and healthcare disparities in Africa and highlighted how 5G has the potential to address this area. As of 2020, nearly 40 countries included in the World Health Organization’s Africa Index reported fewer than 20 doctors per 10,000 people. Here he said 5G will not only increase access to medical services through telemedicine, CT and ECG monitoring, but also help train more doctors through the latest immersive experiences, even in remote locations. In the future, more advanced use cases such as remote surgery and medical delivery by drone will become possible. In addition to health disparities, Africa also has large educational disparities, with a huge number of young people in high school being uneducated. Distance learning enabled by 5G provides a means to address this issue, whether for general learning, higher education, or professional learning.
To position the continent well to take full advantage of 5G, Ekeji outlined a series of essential mitigation measures to address some of the barriers to 5G deployment. To improve coverage, regulatory policies must be in place to support effective deployment and ensure that 5G-ready spectrum is available quickly and at a fair price. Furthermore, lowering the cost of entry-level smartphones is also essential, and Ekeji pointed out that financing schemes for devices will be needed, as well as policies to support low-cost manufacturing of devices and reduced import duties. Services also need to be affordable, and Ekeji maintained that this can increasingly be achieved through improved operational efficiency. For example, you can use green energy solutions to improve reliability and reduce costs, or make better use of spectrum through refarming, virtualization, and automation.
In conclusion, Ekeji argued that while policies and practices will certainly facilitate the adoption of 5G, a deeper understanding of the benefits it brings for both consumer and business customers is needed. To address this, the telecom industry needs to more clearly describe features and services. His 5G value proposition to all stakeholders, using the solution as a means to demonstrate the value proposition.
