The Chief Executive of Telecel Group, a leading African telecommunications operator, Moh Damush, has called on the continent to tap into its digital potential, saying Africa’s vast resources need requisite investment in connectivity and skills to turn them into sustainable solutions.
Speaking to a gathering of African leaders, trade envoys and diplomats at the Presidential and Business Leaders’ Dialogue of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2026 in Accra, Mr. Damush emphasised the need for a digital single market to unlock Africa’s growth, citing the African Continental Free Trade Area’s potential to harness a 1.4 billion-people market.
“Resources alone are like seeds kept in a jar, full of potential, but dormant until knowledge turns them into solutions that transform lives. It is about building a digital single market, one where cross-border payments, e-commerce, and data-driven trade determine who can grow, who can compete, and who can scale. “
Mr. Damush’s remarks highlight the growing recognition of the importance of digital technologies in driving economic growth and reducing inequality in Africa. Telecel Group, which operates in several African countries with its largest operations in Ghana, is investing in initiatives to support digital skills development, entrepreneurship, and women-led SMEs.
He also highlighted the need for inclusive growth, saying that Africa’s single market must be shaped by traders, creators, and innovators at the grassroots. Mr. Damush said women-led businesses are 17 per cent more likely to adopt digital tools when cross-border trade barriers fall, and that connectivity is key to empowering women and youth.
“SMEs make up over 90 per cent of African businesses and the youth make up more than 60 per cent of our population. Yet too often, they are treated as beneficiaries, rather than builders. Empowering SMEs, women, and youth is not charity; it is an economic necessity.”
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2026 is a three-day high-level continental forum organised by the Africa Prosperity Network in partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat, from 4th to 6th February 2026 at the Accra International Conference Centre in Ghana.
The event convened policymakers, heads of state, business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and youth advocates around the theme “Empowering SMEs, Women & Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade,” with the broader goal of accelerating inclusive participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and unlocking Africa’s single market potential.
According to Mr. Damush, Telecel Group’s initiatives, including the Africa Start-Up Initiative Programme, DigiTech Academy and Startocode, which will train 100,000 Ghanaian youth as part of the Government’s One Million Coders Programme, aim to equip young Africans with digital skills. Additionally, Telecel’s Women in Business initiative supports women-led SMEs with digital tools, financial access, and training.
The Telecel Group CEO’s call to action comes as Africa faces significant economic challenges, including high unemployment and limited access to digital technologies. Telecel Group’s efforts aim to help bridge the digital divide and unlock Africa’s potential.
“Connectivity isn’t just an economic tool; it’s an equaliser. If we do this, Africa will not simply prosper, Africa will redefine prosperity,” Mr Damush said.
