Huawei joined leading African telecom operators to officially launch the “Northern Africa Digital Operation Transformation Pioneer Club 2.0” during the Huawei Northern Africa Operations Transformation Forum (OTF) 2026 held in Barcelona, Spain.
The event, themed “Unified Entry & All Intelligent Operations Ignite New Growth,” brought together more than 100 representatives from governments, telecom operators, and industry organisations to explore digital and intelligent transformation strategies for Africa’s telecom sector.
The launch of Pioneer Club 2.0 marks a new phase in accelerating digital transformation across Northern Africa’s telecom industry, with a focus on AI-driven operations, business innovation, and next-generation network capabilities.
Lucas Lu, Vice President of Huawei Global Technical Service, highlighted in his opening remarks that as artificial intelligence becomes a core industry driver, telecom operators must reshape value creation, customer experience, and business models through intelligent digital services and AI-enabled end-to-end operations.
Aaron Boasman, Vice President of TM Forum, noted that AI is transforming operators from traditional “traffic pipes” into “intelligent platforms.” He emphasised that early adopters integrating AI into network operations, customer care, and mobile money scenarios will be better positioned to convert cost centres into profit engines and transform user access points into broader ecosystem gateways.
Eric Yuan, President of Huawei Northern Africa Delivery & Service, introduced Huawei’s E.B.O.I-driven (Entry, Business, Operations, Infrastructure) transformation framework designed for African operators. The solution leverages AI to optimise networks, enhance user experience, modernise operations and maintenance, and create unified digital entry points such as Super Apps.
Industry leaders including Yin Shaochun of China Unicom, Bruk Adhana of Ethio Telecom, and Lassaad Ben Dhieb of Tunisie Telecom Group shared perspectives on AI integration, cloud transformation, digital business innovation, and 5G-driven growth.
Chris Meng, President of Huawei Northern Africa ICT Marketing & Solution Sales, along with executives from major operators, underscored that AI is no longer just an IT tool but a strategic necessity. Discussions focused on using AI initially for cost reduction and operational efficiency, then advancing towards data monetisation and ecosystem-based digital services powered by AI agents.
The forum concluded with consensus that AI-powered transformation will be central to enabling sustainable growth and delivering enhanced digital experiences across Northern Africa.
