Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation Samuel Nartey George has announced that the government has begun implementing measures to address gaps in Ghana’s digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) capacity and cybersecurity resilience.
Speaking at the ongoing UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Samuel Nartey George said Ghana used the UNESCO Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) to identify key national gaps and shape the government’s priorities for digital transformation, rather than treating it as merely an assessment exercise.
He said the assessment gave Ghana a clear basis for measuring progress in key areas such as artificial intelligence skills, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and the contribution of the digital sector to the economy.
According to the Minister, Ghana has continued to perform well in international cybersecurity assessments, although the readiness assessment identified areas that require urgent attention.
He noted that Ghana currently lacks comprehensive legislation dedicated to regulating artificial intelligence, making the development of appropriate regulatory and technical frameworks a key priority for the government.
The Minister, however, said the government had already begun taking steps to address the gaps identified in the assessment.
He said Ghana is implementing a US$200 million digitalisation project to strengthen key components of the country’s digital infrastructure.
He said the interventions include upgrading the National Data Centre, operationalising a national data exchange hub, expanding last-mile connectivity and enhancing Ghana’s cybersecurity resilience.
Sam George also disclosed that Cabinet has approved US$250 million to establish a National AI and Computing Centre.
He said the facility would provide researchers, start-ups, universities and other technology innovators with affordable, sovereign access to high-performance computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Minister stressed that the initiative goes beyond a policy commitment, describing it as a fully funded programme already being implemented by the government.
He further called for stronger international cooperation, stressing that the UNESCO readiness assessment should be seen as a tool for collaboration rather than merely a national exercise.
According to him, the assessment allows countries to measure their progress against shared goals, exchange knowledge and develop common solutions instead of creating separate frameworks independently.
Samuel Nartey George said countries at similar stages of digital development could gain significantly from collaboration, noting that no single nation could build the entire artificial intelligence and advanced computing ecosystem on its own.
He also expressed concern over the continued reliance of developing countries on foreign cloud-computing providers.
He urged governments to carefully manage data partnerships with foreign technology companies to safeguard national sovereignty, strategic data and broader national interests.
The Minister called on UNESCO and its partners to go beyond providing guidance and instead support developing countries with funding, infrastructure and technical expertise to strengthen their digital capacity.
He said Ghana would welcome continued support from UNESCO to establish and operationalise its national computing infrastructure, while strengthening the regulatory and technical capacity needed to govern and deploy AI responsibly.
Sam George reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with UNESCO and other stakeholders to ensure artificial intelligence and digital technologies are deployed responsibly to drive national development.
The government says the measures will help position Ghana to build a stronger and more secure digital economy, while ensuring that the country is better prepared to harness the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
