MTN Group Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita has called for the removal of barriers that hinder the free movement of people, talent and investment across Africa, arguing that greater regional integration is essential to unlocking the continent’s economic potential and driving sustainable growth.
Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation Winter Seminar held on July 23, 2026, Mupita said Africa’s future prosperity depends on embracing cross-border collaboration rather than policies that encourage exclusion. He maintained that the continent’s expanding digital economy and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) require governments and businesses to support the seamless movement of skills, capital and commerce.
According to Brandspur Brand News, the MTN chief executive stressed that migration has long been part of Africa’s social and economic identity and should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship and regional competitiveness rather than a challenge to national interests.
Mupita cited MTN’s own operations as evidence of the benefits of a pan-African business model, revealing that approximately 80 per cent of the telecommunications group’s earnings are generated outside South Africa. He said the company’s performance demonstrates the growing interdependence of African economies and the importance of maintaining an environment that supports cross-border investment and business expansion.
He also urged African governments to establish stable and predictable regulatory frameworks capable of attracting long-term investment, noting that businesses are more likely to commit capital where policy certainty exists. According to him, stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors will be critical to creating more inclusive economic opportunities across the continent.
Industry observers said Mupita’s remarks come at a time when economic pressures have contributed to increased nationalist sentiment in parts of Africa. They noted that his comments positioned regional integration not only as a social objective but also as a commercial strategy capable of enhancing productivity, expanding markets and supporting the continent’s long-term economic transformation.
The MTN chief executive concluded that Africa’s next phase of growth will depend less on geographical boundaries and more on the economic connections that enable businesses, innovators and communities to prosper together under a more integrated continental market.
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