Africa must lead, not linger, in Fourth Digital Revolution – MTN CIO

The Chief Information Officer of MTN Nigeria and newly appointed Executive, IT Core Design at MTN Group, Shoyinka Shodunke, has urged African leaders and innovators to seize what he described as a rare opportunity for the continent to lead in the fourth digital revolution.

Shodunke made the call on Friday during his keynote address at Tech Revolution Africa 2.0, where he spoke on “The Digital Economy Forecast for 2026.”

The conference, sponsored by MTN, convened talents, innovators, policymakers, startups, investors and industry leaders to strengthen collaboration across Africa’s technology value chain.

Drawing parallels with previous industrial revolutions, the MTN executive warned against a repeat of history.

“Africa was completely absent in the first industrial revolution. In the second, we were providers of raw materials. In the third, we were consumers,” he said, adding that “Revolutions punish hesitation. When Africa hesitated in the first, second and third revolutions, we lost out, and history punished us.”

Shodunke argued that the fourth digital revolution presents a fundamentally different landscape — one shaped not by heavy machinery and capital intensity, but by data, cloud computing and talent.

“The inputs today are data, cloud and talent. The factory now sits in the cloud. For the first time, Africa has the opportunity not just to participate, but to lead, because the playing field has changed,” he stated.

He identified leadership, rather than funding or skills, as the principal obstacle to Africa’s digital transformation.

“Our biggest risk is not lack of capital or talent; it is leadership,” he said, calling for decisive action.

“This is not a time for comfort or endless committee meetings. It is a time for bold leadership willing to disrupt legacy products, legacy revenues and even itself.”

Using MTN Nigeria as a case study, Shodunke explained that the company has evolved beyond traditional connectivity services into cloud solutions, fintech and artificial intelligence-driven offerings. He noted that connectivity and data are increasingly becoming commodities, and that value creation now lies in building intelligence layers on top of those foundations.

According to him, the true winners of the digital era will be those who leverage data-driven innovation to create scalable, intelligent platforms.

He also challenged African youths and innovators to act with urgency.

“History does not reward those who wait to be convinced. The time to act is now. Africa must not be left behind again. This time, we can set the pace for the fourth digital generation,” he said.

Commending the organisers of Tech Revolution Africa 2.0, Shodunke acknowledged the platform’s rapid growth within a year and its role in strengthening Africa’s technology ecosystem.

At the close of his keynote session, he was presented with the Pan-African Technology Leader of the Year Award in recognition of his contributions to technology development across the continent and his leadership in advancing Africa’s digital ecosystem.