Tawa Bolarin, Director of Enterprise Business and Wholesale at Telecel Ghana, is urging African nations to open their markets and align digital infrastructure rules. She believes this is key to speeding up progress and growth across the continent.
Ms. Bolarin made these remarks during a panel discussion at the 11th Ghana Female CEO Summit in Accra. The topic was 'Women Building Africa’s Digital Ecosystem, Innovation and Inclusive Growth'. She argued that Africa's next economic boom depends on moving past simple internet access. It requires everyone to fully join the digital economy. She stressed the need to make it easier for people and businesses to trade and move money across Africa without hurdles.
This open market approach would strengthen trade between African countries. It would also speed up digital transformation in African economies. Millions of people are still left out of online business. This is true even as internet networks expand quickly. Ms. Bolarin pointed out that internet access is not enough. In Ghana, for example, three-quarters of the country has internet access. However, only 46% of people own smartphones. This means half of the population cannot access smart devices. Ms. Bolarin stated that if this device access issue is solved, more people can join the digital world.
Industry data shows that mobile broadband now reaches most Ghanaians. Yet, the use of smartphones and digital skills remain uneven. This is especially true for women, people in rural areas, and small businesses. While the number of internet connections has grown rapidly, many people still cannot use the internet effectively. Ms. Bolarin believes the problem goes beyond just having internet cables. It involves people gaining the necessary digital knowledge and skills. She highlighted a growing problem. There's a big gap between internet access and actually using it to make money. This is particularly true for small businesses and those run by women.
Ms. Bolarin explained that people can connect to the internet. But they may not know how to turn that connection into a business advantage. Technology changes very fast. To keep up, people need support and dedication. This will help more individuals participate in the digital economy. The summit featured women leaders from technology, telecom, and digital finance. They discussed how Africa can build a more inclusive digital economy. Akosua Annobil of Tech in Ghana moderated the panel. Other speakers included Deborah Asmah of Mpontu Technologies and Jubilare Group, Gillian Darko of Yellow Card, and Estelle Akofio-Sowah of CSquared Ghana. The discussions covered connectivity, digital infrastructure, women's innovation, and new ways to expand digital access to communities that are often overlooked.
The Ghana Female CEO Summit, now in its 11th year, is a notable event. It brings together women executives, leaders, and business owners. This year's theme was 'Women Driving Sustainable Business for a Resilient Africa'. It focused on how female leaders are driving growth in various sectors like technology, finance, manufacturing, and telecommunications.