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The TechAfrica News podcast where we dive deeper into the stories behind Africa’s digital transformation.
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We focus on the core forces reshaping the continent: connectivity and infrastructure, emerging technologies, digital health, financial innovation, and the evolving tech ecosystem.
Each episode offers clear-eyed insights into the breakthroughs and challenges defining Africa’s digital landscape. Expect candid discussions, expert analysis, and real stories that reveal the true impact of technology on Africa’s growth and future.
Produced in partnership with SmartAfrica, this podcast connects you to the essential conversations shaping Africa’s digital future.
LATEST EPISODES
EP.07 | S2 | What Will It Take to Get 900 Million+ Africans Online? GSMA’s Caroline Mbugua on Affordability, AI and Policy Reform
Africa has nearly closed its connectivity gap. So why are more than 900 million Africans who already have coverage still not online?
In this TechAfrica News podcast episode, Caroline Mbugua, HSC, Senior Director of Public Policy and Communications at GSMA, sat down with Akim Benamara, Founder of TechAfrica News, on the sidelines of MWC 2026 in Barcelona to unpack why smartphone affordability, not network coverage, is now Africa’s biggest lever for digital inclusion.
The conversation moved from a proven tax-reform win in South Africa to the policy fragmentation still holding the continent back, and what it will take to get 900 million already-covered Africans actually online.
Talking Points
- 00:29GSMA's policy advocacy and digitalization reports
- 05:02 Benchmarking Without Competition: How the Index Works
- 11:16Why Digital Policy Still Doesn't Align Across Africa
- 17:39The Handset Coalition's $30–40 Smartphone
- 23:35AI in Africa: Real Gains and the 28 Percent Problem
- 29:42Regulatory Modernisation, the Next Decade, and Africa's Debut at MWC Barcelona
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About the Podcast
We started the TechAfrica News Podcast to go beyond the headlines and bring a human voice to the stories we cover every day. With so much innovation happening across the continent, we wanted a space where leaders, experts, and changemakers could speak directly—sharing perspectives, experiences, and strategies in their own words. It’s our way of making the fast-moving world of African tech more accessible, more personal, and more real.
About Smart Africa
Smart Africa is a pan-African alliance of 39 member states, international organizations, and private sector partners committed to driving Africa’s digital transformation. Launched with the vision of creating a single digital market, Smart Africa works to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development by fostering innovation and advancing digital policy harmonization.
Smart Africa plays a leading role in shaping the continent’s digital future—empowering governments, businesses, and citizens to thrive in the digital age.
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