MTN Group and Huawei have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Joint Innovation Technology Lab, aimed at fostering technological innovation.
The strategic partnership will lead to the creation of an Innovation Technology Lab at MTN Group’s headquarters in South Africa. This lab will serve as a neutral platform for collaboration within Africa’s digital ecosystem, accelerating the development, deployment, and adoption of innovative digital solutions across the continent.
Together, MTN and Huawei will focus their research and development efforts on key areas such as 5G and beyond, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data analytics, cloud computing, and digital financial services. The partnership aims to expedite the time-to-market of MTN’s products and services while addressing unique challenges faced in Africa, including improving network coverage in rural areas, enhancing energy efficiency, and affordability.
Image sourced from Notebook Check.
Furthermore, MTN’s operational teams will actively participate in the innovation process, ensuring that the solutions developed directly address real-world challenges and drive meaningful digital transformation and sustainable development in Africa.

Mazen Mroue, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer at MTN, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “The Joint Innovation Technology Lab is more than a partnership between two companies: it’s an investment in the growth of Africa’s digital ecosystem. We believe that collaboration is essential for developing solutions that truly meet the continent’s needs, and this Lab will pave the way for a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for Africa.”
Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service, commented, “Huawei will continue innovating with MTN to ensure they have the products and solutions required to best serve Africa’s unique market. This will not only give MTN a competitive edge in terms of network quality, user experience, and rapid deployment, but also help MTN achieve their own business objectives. We believe that this newly established lab will help supercharge both MTN’s R&D as well as Africa’s digital economy, bringing more prosperity to the African continent.”