Why Africa Must Build Its Own Digital Platforms | Mactar Silla

Africa's digital future is often discussed through statistics and projections.

But behind the numbers is a continent building its own solutions, expanding access, and creating new opportunities through technology.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Mactar Silla, Founder and CEO of Label TV, about the realities shaping Africa's digital transformation, from internet access and mobile money to AI, digital infrastructure, regulation, and local innovation.

The conversation explores the challenges of connectivity, the role of governments and the private sector, the importance of African languages in technology, and why Africa must become a creator of digital platforms rather than simply a consumer of them.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why internet access in Africa is about more than just connectivity numbers
→ How mobile money emerged from everyday needs and transformed payments
→ What governments must do to make digital services more accessible
→ Why internet affordability remains a major barrier to inclusion
→ How AI can better serve African languages and local contexts
→ What is driving the gender gap in digital access across Africa
→ Why Africa needs its own platforms, cloud infrastructure, and digital ecosystems
→ How digital innovation can create opportunities for Africa's young population

Key Moments
1:07 Why Africa's internet usage may be larger than official figures suggest
4:22 The rural-urban divide and the challenge of digital inclusion
6:44 How mobile money was born from a simple everyday problem
10:31 What African governments are getting right in digital transformation
15:25 AI, African languages, and the need for local solutions
19:22 Can Africa contribute to the global ethics debate around AI?
22:07 Understanding the gender gap in digital access
26:36 Why Africa needs its own platforms, cloud infrastructure, and tech champions

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