Airtel Africa says it has identified industry partnerships, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and data centre expansion as the critical pillars for delivering Africa’s digital future.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, has made the announcement during a keynote address at the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC25) in Kigali. He positioned these elements as the driving forces for the next decade, marking a shift from merely connecting people to enabling them to create economic value.

“Africa’s digital decade has begun,” Taldar stated. “The continent that once leapfrogged into mobile telephony is now ready to leap again -into an era where every byte of data fuels productivity and every connection builds prosperity.”

He elaborated that this next leap “requires partnership between operators who co-build, technology manufacturers who equip, regulators who enable, investors who believe, [and] tax regimes which support.”

To realize this vision, Taldar highlighted the essential role of technology, stating that “Africa’s digital future needs AI to make networks smarter and greener [and] customer experiences more intuitive.” 

He also emphasized the need for “a connected network of data centres linked by high-capacity fibre to unlock inclusive digital participation even in remote regions.”

The company is already acting on this strategy. Taldar confirmed that Airtel Africa is “investing in major data-centre hubs in Nigeria and Kenya” and is “deploying AI in operations, including SMS spam detection, customer onboarding, mobile money fraud detection and sites’ energy optimisation.”

The discussions at MWC25, which were officially opened by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, align with digital transformation goals across the continent, including Malawi’s Vision 2063, reinforcing the critical role of private sector investment in Africa's connected future.