MTN Ghana’s Chief Digital Officer, Ibrahim Misto, has urged broadcasters to look beyond artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology and focus on improving user experience, convenience and access to content.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the Broadcasters Convention 2026 in Accra, Mr Misto said digital technology should be viewed as a channel for increasing audience reach, convenience and content consumption across markets.
He said the transformation of telecommunications companies from traditional connectivity providers into technology-driven businesses was creating new opportunities for broadcasting and other industries.
“We have been into connectivity business, being a backbone for a lot of industries,” he said, adding that the evolution now included financial technology, digital infrastructure, cloud and AI capabilities.
Mr Misto said MTN’s digital capabilities could support broadcasters in making content available to audiences across different devices and locations.
According to him, the objective should not be technology for its own sake, but the ability to allow people to find and consume content conveniently.
“It’s about user experience, it’s about convenience. So how can we create convenience for citizens across markets? So they can find their content anytime, anywhere,” he said.
He also highlighted the growing importance of content discovery, personalisation and the ability to deliver content in local languages.
Mr Misto said digital platforms could support the creation and distribution of content, including live content and programming in local languages, while AI could contribute to content discovery and optimisation.
He emphasised that the future of broadcasting would require collaboration across the wider technology ecosystem rather than relying on a single technology or industry.
“This is not a one-layer game. It is a big ecosystem,” he said, pointing to collaboration between telecommunications companies, regulators, innovation platforms and other technology providers.
He said telecommunications companies could provide connectivity, digital platforms and AI capabilities, while other players contribute complementary technologies and expertise.
Mr Misto further called for greater use of shared digital infrastructure across African markets to reduce duplicated investments and make better use of available infrastructure funding.
He said shared connectivity and digital infrastructure could help create better experiences for customers and citizens while supporting the development of digital services across markets.
For broadcasters, he said, the focus should therefore remain on using digital channels to expand reach and provide audiences with more convenient and personalised access to content.
