With the launch of the consultation forum, Ghana signals its readiness to lead the AI revolution sweeping across the globe. By combining digital infrastructure, inclusive policies, and a bold vision, the country is laying the foundation for an innovation ecosystem where AI serves people first.

Ghana has taken a bold step toward positioning itself as a continental leader in artificial intelligence (AI) with the official launch of the National AI Strategy Stakeholder Consultation Forum.

Speaking at the event, announced April 29, the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George (MP), emphasized the country’s ambition to harness AI’s transformative power while ensuring that digital progress benefits all citizens. “Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept. It is here and it is already reshaping our world,” he stated, noting that data is now the world’s most valuable resource, and AI is the intelligence that unlocks its true potential.

The strategy is being rolled out with the goal of making Ghana the AI Hub of Africa. The move is supported by structural changes, including the renaming of the Ministry to explicitly reflect its focus on digital technologies and innovation.

The AI Strategy focuses on four pillars to drive inclusive and responsible AI development. First, it treats data as a national asset, aiming to ethically leverage Ghana’s diverse datasets, especially in health and agriculture, through an Open Data Framework developed with the Data Protection Commission. Second, it emphasizes computer power as essential infrastructure, with plans to expand data centers, enhance cloud capacity, and foster regional and public-private partnerships.

Third, talent development is central, led by the One Million Coders Program launched on April 16, which equips youth with digital skills and builds a workforce of AI engineers, machine learning experts, cybersecurity professionals, and informed civil servants. Lastly, the strategy stresses governance and real-world use cases, promoting ethical, transparent AI deployment in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, education, transport, and border security.

Ghana’s National AI Strategy positions the country to take full advantage of the growing opportunities within Africa’s digital economy. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), this transformation could add up to $180 billion to the continent’s GDP by 2025, depending on the extent to which digital technologies are adopted by businesses.

Hikmatu Bilali