Ghana has launched a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy with the ambitious goal of positioning the country as Africa's leading digital and AI hub by 2030. The strategy, unveiled at a ceremony at the Accra International Conference Centre, outlines a roadmap for $5 billion in technology investment and the creation of 100,000 digital economy jobs.
The plan includes the establishment of an AI Research Institute at the University of Ghana, a National Data Centre in Tema, and a Digital Skills Academy that will train 500,000 Ghanaians in AI, coding, and digital entrepreneurship. Major tech companies including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have pledged support for the initiative.
ICT Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said Ghana's young population, improving internet connectivity, and growing tech startup ecosystem made it uniquely positioned to lead Africa's AI revolution. "We have all the ingredients. What we needed was a coherent strategy and the political will to execute," she said.
Ghana currently has over 700 registered tech startups, and the Accra tech hub Silicon Lagoon has attracted $300 million in venture capital investment in the past three years.