Africa’s long-term prosperity will depend more on expanding economic opportunities and strengthening regional integration than on focusing solely on migration, MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita has said.
Mr Mupita made the remarks during the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation Winter Seminar, which brought together government officials, business leaders, diplomats, academics and civil society representatives to discuss migration, development and Africa’s future.
He argued that migration should be viewed within the broader context of uneven economic development across the continent rather than as a stand-alone challenge.
“If our discussion ends with the language of crisis around migration, we will have treated the symptom and missed the deeper challenge. People move because opportunity is unevenly distributed. The defining question is whether we can build economies in which mobility is matched by opportunity,” he said.
According to Mr Mupita, Africa’s growing population can become an economic asset if governments invest in education, skills development, infrastructure, finance, markets and strong institutions that enable people to participate productively in the economy.
He said predictable government policies and regulations would encourage businesses to invest, helping to create jobs and spread economic opportunities across the continent.
The comments come at a time when migration has become a contentious issue in several African countries, particularly South Africa, where recurring Afrophobic and xenophobic attacks have targeted African migrants and foreign-owned businesses. Over the years, outbreaks of violence have resulted in deaths, injuries, looting and the destruction of businesses, while some affected countries have organised the repatriation or evacuation of their nationals from South Africa.
The violence has renewed debate over unemployment, inequality, migration management and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose objectives include promoting the free movement of goods, services and investment across the continent.
Mr Mupita said digital infrastructure has become an important tool for economic participation by connecting people to education, financial services, entrepreneurship, government services and markets.
He also noted that MTN, which was founded in South Africa and now operates in several African countries, views the continent’s economic growth as closely linked to its own business development.
The Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation seminar focused on the relationship between migration, economic development and regional cooperation, with participants examining policy options for addressing the underlying causes of migration across Africa.
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