Fellows of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) Cohort 3 digital community recently deepened their understanding of digital transformation and opportunities in the digital space through an engaging session with MTN Nigeria’s Chief Digital Officer, A’isha Mumuni.
Over the last couple of months, media practitioners enrolled in the Media Innovation Programme have participated in a series of thought-provoking and stimulating learning sessions that cut across Artificial Intelligence, ICT and the Media, Business Journalism, Ethics in Media, and Intellectual Property Laws, among others. The Fellows, now in the fourth month of their programme, are gradually gearing up for their study trip to South Africa, which is set to be just as impactful as previous cohorts.
Speaking on the theme “Opportunities in the VAS Space”, A’isha Mumuni educated the Fellows on digital business and digital transformation, distinguishing both concepts. “Digital transformation involves converting your analogue business where you’re using pen and paper to write everything down to a digital one, with the use of the internet and technology.”
The MTN Chief Digital Services Officer briefly noted some of the challenges affecting the transformation of digital services in Africa which include financial inclusion, broadband penetration, right-of-way challenges, internet affordability as well as internet adoption.
A’isha however spoke on MTN Nigeria’s plan to pivot from just traditional value-added services to offering digital and lifestyle services to its subscribers, as it recognizes the innovation and advancement in digitization of services globally. The company’s digital services continues to contribute to the total revenue of the company and has 15.8 million subscribers.
She highlighted MTN’s goal to build a top-tier digital community in Africa, that extensively caters to people’s digital needs. The company is transitioning from just being a telecommunications service provider, to being a leading TechCo in Africa. “Our vision is to empower Africa’s digital future by creating a seamless and inclusive ecosystem, where everyone can effortlessly discover, access, and enjoy a vast array of digital apps, content, products, and services. We strive to make digital connectivity a reality for all, anytime and anywhere”.
Furthermore, A’isha enlightened the MIP cohorts on opportunities that abound within the digital community the company is building. She emphasized the importance of partnership with individuals and organizations, noting that it is a driving force in the goal of building Africa’s leading digital community. These partners include content creators, app developers, e-commerce vendors, amongst others. “We place significant value on our public and private sector partnerships, establishing synergistic ties with industry leaders. We are creating a community where app developers, content creators, service providers, and other types of partners can economically, quickly, and simply publish, test, and sell all digital apps, content, products, and services.”
The Fellows learned about the telco’s Partner Portal, which provides a seamless onboarding experience to partners in the digital community.
The Media Innovation Programme (MIP), which is created to give participants great insight and an in-depth understanding of Nigeria’s technological industry and the connection between media and technology, is a testament to MTN’s commitment to the communities it operates in.
