MTN Group, the leading telecoms provider that owns MTN Nigeria, and Huawei, a global technology giant, say they are establishing a Joint Innovation Technology Lab to drive digital transformation across Africa.
Both tech companies said that they signed of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the lab that will advance technological innovation across African, and address unique challenges faced on the continent
The signing ceremony took place at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, with senior delegations from both companies in attendance.
With a focus on key areas such as 5G and beyond, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data analytics, cloud computing, and digital financial services, both companies are committed to leveraging this initiative to expedite the time-to-market of MTN’s offerings. Time to market refers to the total length of time it takes to bring a product from conception to market availability.
The partnership, the tech companies said, will result in the creation of an Innovation Technology Lab at MTN Group’s headquarters in South Africa.
The lab will serve as a neutral platform for collaboration within Africa’s burgeoning digital ecosystem, with a clear mission to accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption of innovative digital solutions across the continent, as stated in the press release.
With a focus on key areas such as 5G and beyond, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data analytics, cloud computing, and digital financial services, both companies are committed to leveraging this initiative to expedite the time-to-market of MTN’s offerings. Time to market refers to the total length of time it takes to bring a product from conception to market availability.
Accelerating the time to market of MTN’s offerings means reducing the development cycle and bringing innovative products and services to market more quickly, thereby gaining a competitive edge and meeting the evolving needs of customers in a timely manner.
Moreover, the partnership seeks to address Africa’s unique challenges, including enhancing network coverage in rural areas, enhancing energy efficiency, and ensuring affordability.
MTN’s operational teams will play an active role in the innovation process, ensuring that the solutions developed directly address real-world challenges and drive meaningful digital transformation and sustainable development in Africa, according to MTN.
Mazen Mroue, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The Joint Innovation Technology Lab is more than a partnership between two companies; it’s an investment in the growth of Africa’s digital ecosystem. We believe that collaboration is essential for developing solutions that truly meet the continent’s needs, and this Lab will pave the way for a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for Africa.”
Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service, said that, “Huawei will continue innovating with MTN to ensure they have the products and solutions required to best serve Africa’s unique market. This will not only give MTN a competitive edge in terms of network quality, user experience, and rapid deployment but also help MTN achieve their own business objectives. We believe that this newly-established lab will help supercharge both MTN’s R&D as well as Africa’s digital economy, bringing more prosperity to the African continent.”
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