Tech

Africa being ‘defrauded’ by Big Tech ‘greedy f**ks’, Denis O’Brien says

Digicel founder drank beer in expletive-filled interview in which he called the telecoms sector ‘bolloxed’ and labelled Elon Musk a ‘brilliantly talented entrepreneur’

Billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien. Picture: Maura Hickey

Meta and Google are the source of a “second wave of colonialism” in Africa, Denis O’Brien has said, in an expletive-filled interview during which he called Big Tech companies “greedy fucks” and accused them of not paying enough tax in the continent.

The veteran entrepreneur – who announced his successor to head the Digicel board on Wednesday – also said the telecommunications industry is “bolloxed” and said technology firms must start paying their fair share ...