“You Cannot Stop Innovation”: Telecel Ghana CEO Patricia Obo-Nai Urges Regulation, Not Resistance at Africa Rising Symposium

Telecel Ghana CEO Patricia Obo-Nai has called on Africa’s business and regulatory communities to embrace innovation, particularly in satellite connectivity, mobile finance, and cryptocurrency, warning that failure to adapt to shifting customer expectations will leave businesses behind.

Speaking at the Africa Rising Symposium 2025, EMY Africa’s flagship thought leadership event held at the Accra International Conference Centre, Obo-Nai shared sharp insights on how evolving technologies and customer needs are reshaping the digital economy across the continent.

“So, again, back to customer expectation. Customer wants connectivity, and they don’t care how you deliver it.  It used to be the microwave, then it moved to fiber, and satellites is in now.” she said.

She pointed out that satellite technology has evolved dramatically from previous models, which required intermediary infrastructure. The current wave of satellite innovation, she said, is enabling direct-to-device delivery a game-changer for rural and underserved areas.

“The satellite that we had in the past was not direct to the phone. With the new technologies that we are seeing, we’re seeing satellites delivery directly to the phone and to devices and that’s what people are having in their homes,” she explained.

However, she noted that in Ghana, regulatory approvals have yet to catch up with this trend.

“We still don’t have the approval to have satellite services delivered directly to the handset. So it’s still being delivered through the switches. This is again innovation. This is something that you work with the regulator towards how you make it happen.”

Obo-Nai emphasized that rather than viewing such advances as threats, businesses should see them as opportunities to evolve and better serve consumers.

“In terms of our business, it’s going to be complementary, not a threat. You cannot stop innovation. So I think what is important is to understand what the customers expect and then you work towards how you achieve it.”  she said.

She warned that many businesses had failed precisely because they misread or ignored customer behavior.

“A lot of businesses have had to fold up because they did not understand customer language and were taken by surprise.”

Competing Through Collaboration

Discussing Telecel Ghana‘s role in Africa’s digital economy, Obo-Nai framed the company as a critical payments enabler.

“We play in that space, let me put it in simple terms, we carry the money people want to bring to their families and friends and for businesses in Africa.”

Through partnerships with banks and fintech platforms, the telecom giant facilitates cross-border transactions and local remittances. While the current payment infrastructure relies on traditional banks, the long-term goal is to transition to direct wallet-to-wallet transfers.

“Eventually, it’s going to be wallet to wallet. But for now, we work through the banks and we’re able to deliver. So I will see ourselves again as partners to the innovation the remittances, all the money that people want to send through Africa,” she noted.

On Crypto: Regulate, Don’t Resist

Turning to the hot-button issue of cryptocurrency, Obo-Nai issued a firm but forward-looking message.

“Again, you can try to stifle innovation, but it will catch up with you. People have decided that this is how they want to invest their monies. This is how they want to play. What we have to do is to put the regulatory framework in place to allow people to play.” she mentioned.

Her remarks come at a time when African governments are grappling with how to approach digital currencies, with some opting for bans and others taking tentative regulatory steps.

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