MTN Group Partners with Microsoft to Drive Digital and Cloud Transformation in Africa
MTN Group, Africa’s leading telecom giant, and Microsoft have announced an ambitious strategic partnership agreement to “accelerate digital and cloud transformation working toward a shared vision of driving Africa’s growth.”
The partnership resonates with MTN’s strategic plan of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress by assisting governments, businesses of all sizes, and customers in accelerating value creation by leveraging the versatility of Microsoft platforms, solutions, and capabilities.
Also, the agreement focuses on transforming and modernizing MTN’s communications and technology infrastructure, as well as harnessing capabilities and building Africa’s largest and most valuable platform business.
Speaking on the partnership, Chika Ekeji, Group Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at MTN Group said “We are delighted to be partnering with Microsoft – a company with the strength and scale to complement MTN’s capabilities and to support our Ambition 2025 strategy. Together we will use the power of technology and connectivity to innovate and accelerate the digitalization and development of the continent.”
Moreover, the two companies will develop joint go-to-market plans across MTN’s major markets to serve African enterprise customers’ digital transformation ambitions. Microsoft will invest in training MTN Group resources to drive targeted sales of Microsoft’s products and cloud services in Africa.
Samer Abu-Ltaif, Corporate Vice-President and President of Microsoft Middle East and Africa on his part said “Our valuable, longstanding partnership with MTN will play a pivotal role in Africa’s digital transformation, and we are proud to continue building on that decade-long collaboration with our newest venture. We recognize the potential that Africa holds to stand among the leaders of the digital world, and we are committed to maximizing our partnerships to deliver infrastructure that accelerates this transformation and enables a connected, digital-first continent.”
What you should know about MTN Group and Microsoft Partnership
The partnership includes ongoing knowledge-sharing, innovation, and growth opportunities, in addition to cloud transformation and joint enterprise go-to-market plans. Joint initiatives will be launched in areas such as digital education, micro-SME digitization, fintech, and gaming, resulting in shared value and the expansion of digital and financial inclusion across Africa.
“Our partnership with MTN will empower and enable Africa’s future growth through the joint development of innovative solutions; a dedicated focus on digital skilling and education; robust go-to-market strategy transformation; and the advancement of SMMEs and industries to compete on the global digital stage,” Microsoft said.
Both companies will also sign a carrier agreement, establishing MTN as a major provider of terrestrial connectivity to support Microsoft’s Africa-based expansion plans.
Both companies are convinced that digital transformation, especially when combined with the power of the cloud, represents an opportunity for the continent to leap ahead and benefit from widespread socioeconomic growth.