By Ayomide Otitoju
MTN has introduced a new newsletter segment, ‘15‑Minute Scoop with …’, offering quick, candid conversations with senior leadership on the telecoms and technology landscape across Africa, with a particular focus on Nigeria. The column will appear on the last Friday of every month.
The inaugural edition featured Group Executive Shoyinka Shodunke, who shared his perspectives on AI adoption in Africa and the evolving state of Nigeria’s IT infrastructure. Shoyinka, who began his career as a systems analyst and programmer, traced the evolution from basic data collection to today’s era of AI-powered data utilisation, noting the exponential growth of internet data since 1995 and the opportunities it presents for intelligent decision-making.
On Nigeria’s IT infrastructure, he likened the country’s current position to the fourth industrial revolution, noting that Africa missed key opportunities in previous revolutions due to a lack of bold leadership. He emphasized that Nigeria now has the chance to lead decisively in a data-driven, cloud-based era, provided visionary leadership is ready to disrupt, innovate, and invest.
“If the factory is the cloud, data is the raw material, and talent is the engine, then Nigeria is well positioned to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution. We, however, need bold leadership to disrupt positively and seize the opportunities created,” Shoyinka said.
The series aims to provide readers with forward-looking insights and practical perspectives from MTN’s leadership on technology, innovation, and the future of Africa’s digital ecosystem.
