Beyond The AI Buzz: Why Understanding Digital Infrastructure Matters —Lynda Saint-Nwafor

As conversations around Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to dominate headlines globally, there is a growing need for greater public understanding of the digital infrastructure that powers emerging technologies.

While much attention is focused on AI applications and breakthroughs, experts say meaningful conversations must extend to the networks, data centres, computing power and energy systems that make these innovations possible.

Speaking on “5G, IoT and the Future of Tech”, to the fifth cohort of the Media Innovation Programme (MIP), Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Nigeria said Nigeria’s ability to fully benefit from AI and other emerging technologies will not only on investment in digital infrastructure but also on a broader understanding of how these technologies are built and sustained.

According to her, technology itself is rarely the story. Instead, the real story lies in how technology is applied and the systems that make it possible.

“Technology is never the story,” she said. “Technology is a piece of machine somewhere, or a piece of code that has been written by someone. It’s what is done with technology that makes the story,” she said.

Saint-Nwafor challenged the cohort to move beyond reporting on the outcomes of technologies such as AI and instead examine the foundational infrastructure that enables them.

“The buzzword right now is AI but has anybody thought about how AI came to be?” she asked. “What powers AI? Data, energy, data centres, computing infrastructure. What is spoken about is the outcome. We speak about apps, we speak about AI, but nobody spends time thinking about the foundations.”

She explained that every major technological revolution in history has been built on infrastructure. Roads enabled trade and commerce, electricity powered industrialisation, while the internet made information widely accessible. In the same way, today’s digital economy depends on investments in connectivity, data centres, cloud infrastructure, and reliable energy.

“There is no technological revolution that happened without infrastructure. Every revolution will have infrastructure someone first built,” she added.

Using the evolution of mobile technology as an example, Saint-Nwafor explained how each generation of connectivity has unlocked new possibilities. While 1G enabled voice calls, 2G introduced text messaging, 3G brought internet access to mobile devices, and 4G accelerated digital connectivity through faster data speeds.

According to her, 5G represents another significant shift. “The difference between 4G and 5G is that while 4G connects humans, 5G connects humans and every other thing, machines, devices and systems,” she explained.

She also noted that the implications of 5G go far beyond faster internet speeds. The technology provides the foundation for innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT), smart industries, intelligent systems, and new digital business models.

Her remarks come at a time when Nigeria is accelerating efforts to expand broadband penetration and strengthen its digital economy, with emerging technologies expected to play an increasingly important role in sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, agriculture and manufacturing.

For media professionals, the message was clear: understanding emerging technologies is important, but understanding the infrastructure behind them is what will help tell more meaningful and impactful stories about Nigeria’s digital future.