President John Mahama has officially launched Ghana’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy (2025–2035), outlining an ambitious roadmap to transform the country into a leading AI hub in West Africa while committing $250 million towards building a world-class AI computing center.
Speaking at the launch in Accra on Friday, the President described the strategy as a “significant milestone” in Ghana’s pursuit of a digitally empowered and innovation-driven economy. He emphasized that Ghana intends to move beyond being a passive consumer of emerging technologies to becoming an active participant in shaping and deploying AI for national development.
“This is a statement of intent. Ghana will not be left behind. We are going to design, govern, and deploy artificial intelligence in a way that reflects our national priorities and values,” President Mahama said.
The strategy comes at a time when global perceptions of AI are shifting from fear-driven narratives to more constructive approaches focused on ethical and productive use.
President Mahama noted that while concerns about job displacement remain valid, government policy will ensure that AI enhances human capabilities rather than diminishes them.
“We do not intend to surrender our people to technological disruptions. We intend to prepare them to lead in it,” he stated, stressing the need for a human-centered, inclusive model of AI adoption.
A key pillar of the strategy is workforce development, with government scaling up its “One Million Coders” initiative to equip Ghanaians with digital and AI skills.
According to the President, over 100,000 applications have already been processed, with a target of training at least 300,000 individuals this year alone.
“These are not just numbers. They represent opportunity, employability, and national preparedness.”
President Mahama also highlighted ongoing implementation efforts, citing the use of AI by the Ghana Revenue Authority to improve tax compliance, reduce errors, and identify revenue leakages.
He indicated that similar systems would be deployed across public institutions to enhance efficiency, transparency, and data-driven decision-making.
Beyond skills and public sector reform, the strategy places strong emphasis on localizing AI technologies.
The President warned that many existing AI systems are built on foreign datasets that fail to reflect Ghana’s linguistic and cultural realities.
“We must build systems that understand our languages and our context,” he said, illustrating his point with an example of an AI application used to diagnose plant health. While effective, he noted that such tools remain inaccessible to many rural farmers due to language barriers.
To address this, government will invest in developing local data ecosystems and promoting indigenous language integration in AI systems.
Infrastructure development also forms a core component of the strategy. President Mahama announced plans to strengthen Ghana’s digital backbone, including data centers, connectivity, and computing capacity, describing them as critical to supporting AI innovation.
In addition to the $250 million computing center, government has earmarked $20 million for the short- to medium-term implementation of the strategy.
The President underscored the importance of partnerships, acknowledging contributions from institutions such as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, development partners, and industry stakeholders in shaping the strategy.
