Mr John Omo, Secretary-General of the Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU) has urged the continent to take urgent and coordinated action to bridge the widening mobile internet divide.
He said that despite significant gains in mobile phone ownership, meaningful internet connectivity remained a major challenge, with access alone not translating into effective digital inclusion.
Mr Omo made the call at the opening of a two-day First African Preparatory Meeting for the World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly 2028 (WTSA-28) in Accra.
“In 2024, 66 per cent of our people aged 10 and above owned a mobile phone, yet active mobile broadband subscriptions stood at 52 per 100 inhabitants,” he said.
Mr Omo disclosed that more than 800 million people on the continent were still not using mobile internet, stressing that affordability remained a barrier.
“Africa is at 4.2 per cent of Gross National Income per capita, still more than double the Broadband Commission’s target of 2 per cent,” he said.
Mr Omo said the persistent usage gap underscored the need for policy and regulatory reforms to make digital transformation more usable, reliable and affordable.
“Africa’s position in standardisation cannot be separated from the state of connectivity, the cost of access, and the trust people have in digital services,” he stated.
Mr Omo emphasised the importance of discussions on Over-The-Top (OTT) services and a common emergency number for Africa.
“The choices we make in this standardisation cycle will determine whether digital transformation becomes more usable, more reliable and more affordable,” he noted.
Mr Seizo Onoe, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau, commended Africa’s active participation in global standard-setting processes, urging countries to ensure that WTSA-28 outcomes reflect their priorities.
“The outcome of WTSA-28 must reflect your priorities,” he said.
Mr Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, also called for harmonisation of positions and stronger cooperation ahead of WTSA-28.
“We want to develop a united African proposal that reflects our continent’s needs while aligning with global standards,” he said, stressing the need for Africans to “become rule makers, not just rule takers.”
The meeting, organised by ATU in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Ministry, brought together policymakers, regulators and industry stakeholders to deliberate on Africa’s common position for WTSA-28.
Source: GNA
