MTN Group and Huawei have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Joint Innovation Technology Lab, aiming to strengthen collaboration in technological advancement. The signing ceremony took place at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), ongoing in Barcelona, Spain, with senior delegations from both MTN and Huawei in attendance.

Under this strategic alliance, an Innovation Technology Lab will be established at MTN Group’s headquarters in South Africa. Serving as a neutral ground for collaboration within Africa’s digital ecosystem, the lab aims to expedite the development, deployment, and adoption of innovative digital solutions across the continent.

The partnership will focus its research and development endeavors on critical areas such as 5G and beyond, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data analytics, cloud computing, and digital financial services. By pooling their resources, MTN and Huawei seek to accelerate the time-to-market of MTN’s products and services while addressing the unique challenges prevalent in Africa, including enhancing network coverage in rural areas, improving energy efficiency, and ensuring affordability.

Furthermore, MTN’s operational teams will actively engage in the innovation process to ensure that the solutions developed directly tackle real-world challenges, fostering meaningful digital transformation and sustainable development in Africa.

Mazen Mroue, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer at MTN, expressed his excitement about the partnership, emphasizing its significance in fostering the growth of Africa’s digital ecosystem. “The Joint Innovation Technology Lab is more than a partnership between two companies; it’s an investment in the growth of Africa’s digital ecosystem. We believe that collaboration is essential for developing solutions that truly meet the continent’s needs, and this Lab will pave the way for a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for Africa,” he said.

Li Peng, Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service at Huawei, reiterated Huawei’s commitment to innovation in collaboration with MTN. He commented “Huawei will continue innovating with MTN to ensure they have the products and solutions required to best serve Africa’s unique market. This will not only give MTN a competitive edge in terms of network quality, user experience, and rapid deployment, but also help MTN achieve their own business objectives. We believe that this newly-established lab will help supercharge both MTN’s R&D as well as Africa’s digital economy, bringing more prosperity to the African continent.”

This partnership underscores MTN and Huawei’s joint dedication to shaping Africa’s digital landscape, paving the way for innovation, digital inclusion, and economic growth.