GSMA Africa’s Policy Group chairperson, Daddy Mukadi
* And to implement two specific tax reforms that could dramatically accelerate digital inclusion across the continent
* The telecoms sector can no longer be considered merely as a support sector — it is now a core sector
By Duncan Mlanjira
Chairperson of GSMA Africa’s Policy Group, Daddy Mukadi, who is Airtel Africa’s Chief Regulatory Officer, has called on African governments to recognise telecommunications as a core economic pillar and to implement two specific tax reforms that could dramatically accelerate digital inclusion across the continent.
A statement from Airtel Africa — the leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with operations in 14 countries across sub-Saharan Africa — indicates that Mukadi made the call during the first edition of the États Généraux du Secteur des Postes et Télécommunications (General Assembly of the Posts & Telecommunications Sector) that took place in Kinshasa, DR Congo.
Held under the theme; ‘Posts and Telecommunications, Vectors of Economic Growth and Development’, the inaugural event was launched by DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi, which gathered public and private stakeholders to define a strategic roadmap for the DRC’s and Africa’s digital future.
Mukadi, who is also a member of the GSMA Global Policy Group, urged government and industry stakeholders to rethink the role of telecommunications in national development — emphasising that it should be framed not as a sectorspecific concern, but as a continent-wide imperative.
“The telecoms sector can no longer be considered merely as a support sector,” Mukadi is quoted as saying in the statement. “It is now a core sector. Both are vital, and every other sector, from security and finance to transport and health, depends on digital technology for growth.”
His remarks come at a critical moment for Africa’s digital economy as according to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy Africa 2025 report, the mobile sector contributed US$220 billion to the continent’s economy in 2024 — which is equivalent to 7.7% of GDP and is projected to reach US$270 billion by 2030.
Yet despite mobile networks now covering 95% of Africa’s population, nearly 75% of people across the continent remain offline — thus the GSMA identifies this gap as Africa’s greatest connectivity challenge, driven above all by the unaffordability of devices.
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Mukadi, therefore, called for strategic adjustments to public policy, as well as legal and regulatory frameworks, to support wider access to digital services, while asserting that the telecommunications sector should be treated as a foundational pillar of economic development — with stakeholders working together to accelerate investment, expand coverage and close the usage gap across the continent.
“The Airtel Africa Chief Regulatory Officer also highlighted key barriers to digital inclusion, including the affordability of smartphones and the impact of import duties on telecommunications infrastructure,” says the statement.
“He proposed a two-to-three-year exemption on import duties and taxes for entry-level smartphones priced between US$40 and US$150 to help bridge the usage gap.
He also called for the removal of entry duties on telecommunications equipment for at least three years to support the expansion of network coverage, saying: “These measures would help deliver inclusive and sustainable digital technology for economic and social progress.
“They would also support faster connectivity, improved access and the ability to connect more people, businesses and communities to the digital economy.”
He added that government and the private sector must work closely to create a regulatory environment that encourages innovation, protects consumer interests and supports long-term investment.
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