Mr Ralph Mupita, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN), has expressed strong optimism about Africa’s role in shaping the future of global finance, stating that the continent was well-positioned to lead the next phase of digital financial transformation.
Mr Mupita noted that Africa’s rapid progress in mobile money and digital financial services provided a strong foundation for the continent to transition into a more advanced and integrated digital finance ecosystem.
He said, having seen tremendous growth in financial inclusion, the next phase would be defined by more sophisticated, app-based and technology-driven financial systems, adding that the evolution of digital finance would go beyond basic payments to include digital credit, remittances, embedded finance and emerging innovations such as artificial intelligence and blockchain-enabled services.
Mr Mupita was speaking during a fireside chat with broadcaster Bernard Avle at the 3i Africa Summit in Accra.
According to Mr Mupita, Africa was no longer catching up, but actively shaping the global direction of financial innovation. “Africa is poised to lead in the global digital finance evolution. The scale of adoption, pace of innovation and the unique market dynamics we are seeing across the continent position us strongly for the future,” he stated.
He underscored the importance of the role of telecommunications companies in driving financial inclusion.
Mr Mupita said telcos had been able to reach underserved populations more effectively than traditional financial institutions. In other words, according to Mr Mupita, Telecom-led platforms have been critical in democratizing access to financial services and reaching customers at a scale and cost structure that traditional models struggled to achieve.
He stressed the need for regulatory certainty, consumer protection and innovation-friendly policies to sustain the growth of digital finance across African markets, adding that the key should be a balance between enabling innovation and protecting consumers.
He called for a clear and forward-looking regulation that was supportive of responsible growth.
The 3i Africa Summit is one of the continent’s foremost gatherings of fintech innovators, policymakers, regulators and institutional investors.
The 2026 edition of the Summit took place under the theme “The Next Frontier: Shaping Africa’s Integrated FinTech Future.”
It was organised by the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems and the Global Finance & Technology Network, with support from MobileMoney Fintech Ltd.
Source: G.D. Zaney, Esq.
