By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin has called
for renewed efforts to accelerate universal meaningful connectivity across
Africa, emphasizing the need for enabling policies, affordable access and
digital skills development.
Speaking at the ATU-GSMA
Ministerial Roundtable in Abuja, Nigeria, Bogdan-Martin said governments,
industry stakeholders and development partners must work together to speed up
progress toward connecting more people across the continent and beyond.
She stressed that achieving
universal meaningful connectivity requires policy and regulatory frameworks
that encourage investment and innovation, while making digital services more
affordable and accessible to citizens.
Bogdan-Martin also
highlighted the importance of equipping Africans with the digital skills needed
to participate fully in the digital economy, noting that connectivity alone is
not enough to unlock the benefits of digital transformation.
The ministerial roundtable,
organised by the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and the GSMA alongside
the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Abuja, brought together policymakers
and industry leaders to discuss strategies for expanding digital inclusion and
accelerating Africa's digital development.
