President John Dramani Mahama has announced that government is injecting a total of US$270 million into the rollout of the country’s AI strategy to make Ghana the AI hub of West Africa.
Speaking at the launch of the country’s main National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, he stated that US$250 million will be dedicated to building a world-class National AI Computing Centre, and an additional US$20 million will be used for the short to medium term implementation of the AI strategy itself.
The president noted that the investments were bold but necessary because the proposed AI Computing Centre will serve as the nerve-centre for research, innovation and enterprise, enabling Ghanaian developers to build solutions, not only for Ghana but also for the wider African continent.
He however noted that government alone cannot building a thriving AI system, saying that success will require strong partnerships among the state, academia, industry, civil society and development partners.
President Mahama stressed the need to localize AI to reflect Ghanaian values, ethics, and realities, adding that Ghana is determined to optimize the benefits of AI to enhance the lives of Ghanaians.
“Ghana must build, own, and govern AI that understands the local languages, respects Ghanaian culture, and solves their problems,” he said.
He underscored the importance of capacity building to the success of the national AI strategy, saying that without skilled people, strong institutions, secured infrastructure and sound governance, no AI strategy can succeed.
The President said the National AI strategy is therefore rooted in strong thoughtful pillars, which include responsible AI development, education and workforce enhancement, AI-driven industrial innovation, robust data governance, research and ecosystem development and the used of AI to improve public sector performance and service delivery.
“That is why this strategy places equal weight on innovation and responsibility, on ambition and safeguards, on investments and inclusion,” he said. “AI cannot thrive without infrastructure, data, computing power, connectivity, and energy are now as strategic to the digital age as roads, sports, power plants and other were to the earlier phases of development.”
He said government is therefore taking deliberate steps to strengthen the National Data Centre to ensure that the country’s digital backbone is secure, resilient and capable of supporting the growing demands of the AI systems.
The National AI Strategy is designed to properly position the country to harness AI for inclusive growth while ensuring technology aligns with local values and culture.
It provides a roadmap to build a responsible, human-centered AI ecosystem in Ghana, seeking to develop local talent and research capacity, promote AI adoption in key sectors, establish ethical and legal frameworks, and position Ghana as a regional hub for AI innovation.
The strategy also aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure no Ghanaian is left behind in the AI revolution.
