No Smartphone, No AI: Vodacom’s Shameel Joosub on Africa’s Access Gap
The numbers tell the story before any conversation begins. Of Vodacom’s 223 million customers, 80 million still do not have a smartphone. For Shameel Joosub, Group CEO of Vodacom, that figure is not a statistic to cite and move on from. It is a mandate. At MWC Barcelona 2026, he spoke with TechAfrica News Founder Akim Benamara about what it will actually take to close that gap, and why getting devices into people’s hands is inseparable from everything else Africa wants to achieve with AI.
- 0:03Introduction and AI at MWC Barcelona 2026
- 0:35Smartphone Penetration, Tax Reduction, and AI's Dependency on Devices
- 1:59Device Financing and the Money Box Principle
- 2:46AI Vision: Local Languages and Practical Use Cases
- 3:41Digital Infrastructure as the Foundation for AI
- 4:18Satellite Connectivity and Optimism for Africa's Digital Future
Smartphones First, AI Second
Joosub was clear that smartphone penetration and AI are not parallel conversations. They are the same conversation. Driving down device costs through tax reductions, enhanced financing, and collective industry commitments is the precondition for meaningful AI adoption across Africa. Without the device in hand, everything else is theoretical.
He was particularly passionate about device financing, describing what he calls the “money box principle”: making it possible for people to pay daily or weekly to access a smartphone, the same way a small coin box is filled gradually over time. Financing, he argued, transforms an unaffordable lump sum into something within reach for millions of people who would otherwise wait years before being able to afford a device outright.
AI in Local Languages and Practical Use Cases
On AI more broadly, Joosub pointed to GSMA’s work on large language models in local African languages as a critical piece of the puzzle, enabling both consumers and businesses to engage with AI in ways that are actually relevant to them. Beyond language, his focus was on practical application: empowering businesses to embed AI into real use cases rather than treating it as an abstract capability. He also noted the rapid pace at which suppliers are building AI into everything from network management to power and cloud systems, with customer experience improvements as a tangible near-term outcome.
Fiber, Mobile, Satellite: All Three
Asked about digital infrastructure, Joosub did not hedge. Africa is severely lacking in fiber, and without the underlying connectivity layer, AI benefits will remain out of reach for large parts of the continent. His infrastructure vision combines fiber, mobile, and satellite, with satellite playing a particular role as an accelerator for rural coverage. The logic is straightforward: get everyone covered first, then build from there.
“I think it is extremely important because while you can have AI, without connectivity you will never be able to take advantage of it. The underlying connectivity has to be in place. Africa is still significantly lacking in fibre infrastructure, so fibre, mobile, and even satellite all need to be part of the ecosystem. That full ecosystem is necessary for us to realise the benefits of AI across all parts of the continent.”
– Shameel Joosub, CEO, Vodacom Group
Talking Points
0:03 – 0:34: Introduction and AI at MWC Barcelona 2026
0:35 – 1:58: Smartphone Penetration, Tax Reduction, and AI’s Dependency on Devices
1:59 – 2:45: Device Financing and the Money Box Principle
2:46 – 3:40: AI Vision: Local Languages and Practical Use Cases
3:41 – 4:17: Digital Infrastructure as the Foundation for AI
4:18 – 4:53: Satellite Connectivity and Optimism for Africa’s Digital Future
