MTN Benin has called for affordable connectivity, clear and fair regulations, and stronger cybersecurity collaboration to support Africa’s digital transformation, highlighting the complementary roles of satellite and terrestrial networks in expanding access.
The call came during a panel discussion at the Africa Digital Expo (ADEX 2026) in Cotonou, where Titilope Fakuade, Chief Technology and Information Officer at MTN Benin, stressed the urgency of building cyber resilience into Africa’s rapidly expanding 5G-driven digital economy. The panel also featured Ouanilo Medegan Fagla, Director General of Benin’s National Centre for Digital Investigations (CNIN), and Luciano Hounkponou, President of the Personal Data Protection Authority (APDP).
Fakuade noted that while the deployment of 5G is transforming Africa’s economic landscape and bringing unprecedented innovation, it also complicates cyber threats and expands the attack surface. She argued that security must be designed into initiatives and programmes from the outset, with the capacity to detect, identify and respond effectively to incidents across the entire value chain.
The panel agreed that cybersecurity ultimately rests on people, with the development and strengthening of local talent seen as the key to supporting Africa’s digital growth without compromising the security of critical infrastructure. Fagla warned against the illusion of passive security, noting that it is not technology itself that carries risk, but the new uses that will be created around it.
Luciano Hounkponou, President of the APDP, called for an end to regulatory silos, arguing that cooperation between the data protection authority, the cybersecurity agency and the telecoms regulator (ARCEP) is essential for effective governance. He also stressed that Africa’s digital sovereignty depends directly on mastering its infrastructure, with local data storage an unavoidable security imperative backed by rigorous enforcement of the Digital Code requiring critical servers to be hosted on national territory.
The discussion comes as African ministers recently adopted the Algiers Declaration on Telecommunications Sovereignty and Integrated Connectivity (2026–2030), which commits to expanding affordable connectivity, strengthening local digital infrastructure and enhancing cybersecurity across the continent.
MTN Benin’s intervention reflects the broader challenge facing African telecom operators: balancing the need for affordable, widely accessible connectivity with the growing imperative of securing networks against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The operator’s push for affordable devices and data, combined with stronger cyber resilience, signals a recognition that Africa’s digital future depends on both access and trust.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily coverage and monthly themed magazine editions.
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