Cape Town, South Africa – November 12, 2025 — Speaking at AfricaCom 2025, Dr. Song Xiaodi, President of Huawei’s Small Cell Product Line, delivered a keynote speech urging African stakeholders to seize three pivotal opportunities to unlock digital productivity and build a thriving “Digital Africa.”
Dr. Song underscored Africa’s immense potential for digital transformation, noting that the continent’s digital economy is projected to grow sixfold by 2050. He stressed that while mobile networks provide connectivity, their ultimate value is realized through widespread digitalization.
The Three Strategic Opportunities
Dr. Song outlined three key strategies for advancing the continent’s digital future:
- Enhance Ubiquitous Connectivity: Connectivity is the fundamental cornerstone of digital transformation. Dr. Song emphasized the need for expansive mobile network coverage reaching villages, farms, and classrooms. This foundational layer, he argued, would enable new digital applications, foster business opportunities through online platforms, and ensure equal access to knowledge for every child.
- Accelerate Upgrades in User Experience (5G): The shift to 5G technology places user experience at the forefront. Dr. Song highlighted that the demand for next-generation immersive content—such as free-viewpoint video, 4K/8K ultra-HD, and naked-eye 3D—requires continuous network enhancements. He presented this as a lucrative opportunity for network operators to significantly boost their Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and develop stronger business models, citing a Thai operator that achieved a 15% ARPU increase through strategic 5G deployment.
- Pursue Green Development for Sustainability: Dr. Song asserted that green development is not a hurdle, but rather essential for achieving long-term, sustainable digital growth. He pointed to Huawei’s green energy solution deployed in Mali, which powers remote base stations entirely with renewable energy. This innovation not only expands network coverage but also reduces annual carbon emissions by 10 tons and cuts operational costs for local operators by €20,000.
Dr. Song concluded by reaffirming Huawei’s commitment to supporting African operators as the continent rapidly transitions through 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies, positioning technological innovation as the key certainty in an uncertain global economy.
