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Embracing the Future: Ghana Launches National AI Strategy to Drive Innovation
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The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George (MP), at the launch of the National AI Strategy Stakeholder Consultation Forum underscored the critical importance of the initiative in positioning Ghana within the rapidly evolving global digital landscape.
He highlighted that data is the new fuel and that the application of intelligence to this data through AI is what generates real value.
The Minister outlined the enormous potential of AI to transform various sectors including agriculture, healthcare, logistics, smart cities and financial inclusion.
He however stressed the accompanying responsibilities concerning ethics, data privacy, governance and inclusion, affirming the government’s determination to ensure that no one is left behind.
“Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept. It is here and it is already reshaping our world”, the Minister stated emphatically.
Under the leadership of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, the government has set a clear ambition to make Ghana the AI Hub of Africa. This vision is being supported by concrete steps, including the renaming of the Ministry to explicitly include Digital Technologies and Innovation.
The government is focused on investing in infrastructure, building strategic partnerships and shaping a policy environment conducive to innovation while safeguarding the interests of the people. A key component of this strategy is the One Million Coders Programme, a bold national initiative that was launched on the April 16,2025
The programme aims to equip Ghana’s youth with the crucial digital skills needed to thrive in the global digital economy and is described as a national commitment and a social contract.
The Minister emphasised that this programme is not an isolated effort but is deeply embedded within the National AI Strategy, ensuring that human capital development aligns with digital policy and infrastructure growth.
The National AI Strategy is anchored on Four (4) key priorities: Data as a National Asset: Recognising Ghana’s rich and diverse datasets in various sectors, the strategy aims to protect and strategically leverage these assets.
The Minister highlighted the importance of African genomic data in global research and how AI can help close existing gaps, necessitating careful data management and governance. “The Ministry will collaborate with the Data Protection Commission to develop an Open Data Framework to ensure every Ghanaian benefits from their digital footprint safely, ethically and equitably”.
Compute Power: The Infrastructure of the Future: The strategy acknowledges computing power as the engine of the AI economy and emphasises the need to build robust digital infrastructure to support high-volume data processing and cloud-based innovation. Efforts are underway to leverage national data centres, expand cloud infrastructure, promote regional cooperation for resource sharing, and foster public-private partnerships to bridge infrastructure gaps.
Talent Development: Building Ghana’s Digital Workforce: Recognising that human capital is the foundation of innovation, the One Million Coders Program is central to building a pipeline of AI engineers, data scientists, machine learning experts and digital product developers.
The strategy also includes equipping professionals in data protection, cybersecurity and civil servants with AI understanding for governance and service delivery. Governance, Policy, and Real-World Use Cases: The strategy prioritises the safe, transparent and purpose-driven development of AI, viewing governance as a tool to ensure real and measurable value for citizens.
The Minister cited tangible, high-impact use cases of AI in agriculture (predicting crop health), healthcare (faster diagnoses), education (personalised learning), transportation (improved safety), and defence and border security (enhanced surveillance).
The Minister reiterated Ghana’s ambition to not just benefit from AI but to become a leader in its development on the African continent. The commitment is clear: to position Ghana as the AI Hub of Africa, prepare its youth for the digital age and ensure AI drives prosperity, dignity and opportunity for all Ghanaians.
The forum is seen as a shared journey, with the Ministry welcoming the expertise and collaboration of all stakeholders to shape the path forward.
Dome Kwabenya Member of Parliament (MP), Elikplim Akurugu, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 toured ongoing road rehabilitation projects in the constituency to assess the progress of work.
The tour was undertaken with the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ga East, officials of the Ga East Municipal Assembly and engineers.
The team inspected ongoing works on the Grand Star Hotel-Nama Road at Musuku, the Ashongman Pure Water Road and road projects at Taifa.
Speaking after the inspection, Ms Akurugu said the visit was to monitor the projects after sod was cut a few months ago.
She said she was impressed with the progress made by the contractors, noting that some of the projects were about 80 per cent complete.
According to her, drainage and gutter construction had largely been completed, leaving the asphalt surfacing to be done.
“We are impressed with the work going on,” she said, while commending the contractors for the quality of work.
The MP, however, expressed concern over delays caused by utility service providers, particularly the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Limited.
She explained that the relocation of electricity poles, transformers and water pipelines had delayed some aspects of the road works.
Ms Akurugu said the Ga East Municipal Assembly would engage the service providers to help speed up the projects.
She thanked residents for their patience during the construction period and assured them that the temporary inconvenience would soon give way to better roads.
The MP said she would continue to lobby for more road projects to improve movement within the constituency.
The Roads Engineer of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Daniel Ochere, said the inspection formed part of the assembly’s routine monitoring of the projects.
He said the contractors were working according to schedule and were expected to complete the projects within the 18-month contract period.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Lauritz Knudsen Electrical and Automation, a unit of Schneider Electric, has deepened its investment in Ghana with a showcase of new low voltage switchgear, industrial and agricultural automation solutions.
The company with over 70 years of engineering experience, brought together partners, distributors and customers at Nova Plus in Accra to unveil its expanded portfolio tailored for the Ghanaian market.
The move comes as Ghana prioritises grid modernisation and industrialisation.
Power outages cost the economy an estimated $2.1 billion annually, about two per cent of Gross Domestic Product affecting real estate, agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors.
The Head of Strategy, Business Development, Pricing and LK MEA International Operations, Dallal Slimani said the company’s technology was built to suit Ghana’s environment.
“Our low voltage switchgear is engineered to keep critical operations running through exactly the kind of instability Ghanaian businesses deal with every day, whether that’s a mining camp running off-grid or a hospital that cannot afford a single second of downtime,” she said, adding that “We’re bringing technology refined through years of working alongside our partners here.”
According to her, Lauritz Knudsen solutions were critical across mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, healthcare, data centers, and real estate in hubs like Tema and Accra.
She said her outfit expected demand to grow as the Energy Commission rolled out regulations for EV charging infrastructure.
“With an existing distribution network in Ghana, Lauritz Knudsen plans to expand further into medium voltage switchgear, smart energy management, and solar,” Ms Slimani stated.
She said the company had supported over 50GW of solar capacity globally.
The Business Development Manager of Lauritz Knudsen in charge of West Africa, Valentine Mbachu, noted that unreliable power directly impacts productivity.
“A $2.1 billion annual loss isn’t an abstract figure, it’s downtime on factory floors, spoiled inventory, and stalled investment decisions. We’ve built strong partnerships in Ghana because this market has the industrial ambition to grow fast,” he said.
BY EDEM TSORTORME
