Source: News Ghana | June 20, 2025
Telecel Ghana CEO Patricia Obo-Nai has called on African regulators and industry players to embrace progressive, collaborative approaches to emerging technologies—stressing that resistance to innovation risks holding back the continent’s digital transformation.
Speaking at the Africa Rising Symposium 2025 in Accra, Obo-Nai urged policymakers to align regulatory frameworks with rapid advancements in satellite connectivity, mobile finance, and cryptocurrency. “You cannot stop innovation,” she said. “What matters is understanding customer expectations and working with regulators to meet them.”
Highlighting satellite technology as a game-changer for last-mile connectivity, Obo-Nai noted that direct-to-device capabilities can bypass traditional infrastructure and extend coverage to underserved communities. Yet, in Ghana, current regulations prohibit direct satellite-to-handset communication, mandating signal routing through terrestrial switches—a policy she believes urgently needs review.
Turning to fintech, she described Telecel Ghana’s evolving role in the digital economy—from facilitating cross-border payments with banks to developing seamless wallet-to-wallet services. On digital assets, she urged a regulatory posture of enablement rather than prohibition: “People have chosen how they want to invest. Our responsibility is to create an environment for safe participation.”
Her remarks come at a time when African countries are navigating the complex balance between enabling innovation and exercising regulatory control, especially in the fast-moving financial technology and connectivity space.
The Africa Rising Symposium convened thought leaders, policymakers, and tech stakeholders to explore the continent’s digital future—one that, according to Obo-Nai, must be built on openness, inclusion, and regulatory foresight.
Source: News Ghana | June 20, 2025
