In a passionate call to action at the 45th Southern African Telecommunications Association (SATA) Annual Conference, Telkom Group CEO Serame Taukobong challenged African leaders to seize the moment: “Africa’s time is now.
“We have the networks, the fibre, the youth – what’s stopping us? We must invest beyond just profitability.”
The urgent declaration came during a high-level panel discussion in Sandton, where business and tech leaders mapped out Africa’s priorities for the B20 and G20 summits that South Africa will host in 2025. The SATA conference is hosted by Telkom and Openserve.
Taukobong emphasised Africa’s unique ability to innovate with limited resources.
“Africa brings a masterclass in doing more with less, this is what we must showcase at the B20 and G20,” said Taukobong.
With the continent’s population set to double to 2.4 billion by 2050, speakers agreed: delaying action is a luxury Africa cannot afford.
Why Africa Can’t Wait
Taukobong, recently appointed to the B20 South Africa 2025 Local Business Advisory Council, outlined three immediate imperatives:
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Digital Infrastructure Sprint – “If it takes a connected village to raise AI, then Africa must build that village today,” he said, citing mobile technology’s success as proof of Africa’s ability to leapfrog legacy systems.
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SMME and Youth Fuel – With 60% of Africans under 35, “empowering young entrepreneurs isn’t optional —it’s how we’ll compete globally.”
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Private Sector Muscle – “Policy alone won’t save us. CEOs must invest now, even where profits aren’t instant.”
The B20/G20 Opportunity
Busisiwe Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership South Africa, warned that dysfunctional institutions like SITA undermine Africa’s case as an investment destination.
Global capital is actively seeking new markets, and Africa is clearly positioned to be the market of the future.
“We must emphasise the continent’s unique strengths and opportunities. With 60% of Africa’s population under 35, we have a demographic dividend that can be strategically cultivated. Studies project that by 2050; the majority of the global labour force will come from Africa. This reality demands that we drive this narrative forward and highlight Africa’s growing importance on the world stage,” said Mavuso.
She continued: “When we examine the world’s 20 largest economies, none are currently African. This very fact represents an opportunity. We must ask ourselves: How do we shape this conversation? How do we effectively highlight Africa’s potential? It makes no sense to position Africa as the continent and market of the future if we don’t first put our own house in order.
“We continue to struggle with incapable states across Africa. We face persistent infrastructure challenges – from energy and security to water and transport logistics. Until we address these fundamental issues, we cannot realistically position ourselves as a premier investment destination.”
Mavuso specifically highlighted how dysfunctional public institutions like SITA undermine South Africa’s investment appeal. “We cannot position South Africa as an investment hub when key institutions are failing,” she stated. “Digital transformation will remain impossible if our critical entities remain dysfunctional.”
She concluded with a powerful call to action: “For Africa to win, to succeed, and to truly position itself as an investment destination, we must create an environment where business can thrive. We need to remove unnecessary barriers and make it easier for enterprises to operate effectively across the continent.”
She said Africa and South Africa is competing with the world and stressed that if it doesn’t fix energy, logistics, and governance, even 2.4 billion people won’t make us attractive.
What Success Demands by 2025:
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AI-ready networks to harness the youth dividend
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Reformed public institutions to unlock capital
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Cross-border tech partnerships, avoiding “solo” approaches
As the SATA conference closed, Taukobong’s words hung in the air and he said”
“The reality is this: the challenge for CEOs of SATA, like myself, and many others from state-owned enterprises—is to act now. We must invest beyond profitability. This is a challenge the new SATA chairman, Openserve, will take on. If we wait for policy changes, we’ll wait another 45 years. Charity begins at home. We need tangible actions. We don’t need the world to come here to create unity, we already have the networks, the fibre. What’s stopping us from taking the first steps? What is SATA doing to execute? Policy isn’t written by foreign powers. We must take initiative. Africa’s time isn’t in 30 years, it’s now. We need to own what we’re doing.”
With B20/G20 2025 on the horizon, Africa’s leaders now face a live test of their answer.
