Ghana is ready to advance Africa’s digital development agenda and promote stronger continental collaboration as Chair of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Communications and ICT for 2026 to 2028, Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has said.
He said Ghana would ensure that the outcomes of the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum 2026 informed discussions and decisions at the African Union level.
Speaking at the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum in Accra, Mr George called for greater cooperation among African countries to address shared digital challenges, including cybercrime, the protection of citizens’ legal rights, child online safety and the development of the continent’s digital content industry.
He said Africa needed to move beyond developing policies and frameworks to focus on implementation and measurable outcomes that improve people’s lives.
“We do not lack frameworks. We have all the frameworks in Africa: Agenda 2063, the African Digital Commerce, Continental AI Strategy,” he said, stressing the need to translate existing commitments into practical results.
Mr George identified cross-border collaboration in combating cybercrime as a critical priority, arguing that cooperation among African countries was necessary to address threats that extend beyond national boundaries.
He also emphasised the need to strengthen legal protections for African citizens and improve child online protection, citing the responsibility of societies to safeguard children in the digital environment.
Quoting Nelson Mandela, he said the way societies treated children reflected their values and character.
The Minister further called for greater recognition and fair opportunities for African content creators, describing them as important contributors to the preservation and documentation of the continent’s history and culture.
He invoked an African proverb which states that until lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter, arguing that Africans must take greater responsibility for telling their own stories.
Mr George also urged African countries to pursue unity without demanding uniformity, saying the continent could work towards common goals, standards and a collective voice while respecting national differences.
“Unity does not mean uniformity. We can achieve a common goal, common standard, and a common voice,” he said.
He added that progress made by one African country should create opportunities for its neighbours rather than remain confined within its borders.
The Minister encouraged participants at the forum to focus their discussions on three questions: the problems African countries could solve together, who would take responsibility for implementing agreed solutions, and how the continent would measure improvements in the lives of its people.
He said Ghana would ensure that ideas and recommendations emerging from the forum reached the African Union’s decision-making platforms.
Mr George expressed appreciation to the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African ITU Secretariat, the African regional bodies and other regional and international partners for supporting the organisation of the forum.
