Ghana to Establish $50m Innovation Fund, Expand AI and Fibre Rollout — Sam George

The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has outlined Ghana’s sweeping digital transformation agenda, anchored on new policy reforms, supercomputing partnerships, and stronger support for local innovators.

Speaking at the Africa Tech Festival 2025 in Cape Town, he said government is committed to building a resilient digital economy by investing in innovation centres, advanced infrastructure, and targeted interventions that empower Ghanaian creators and technologists.

Government Finalizing $50m Innovation and Startup Fund

Minister George announced that legislation for the establishment of an Innovation and Startup Fund is nearing completion.

The fund, with an initial seed capital of US$50 million, will support Ghanaian innovators across critical sectors not just fintech reflecting government’s ambition to build a broad-based technology-driven economy.

Addressing Africa’s limited compute capacity, the Minister revealed that Ghana has joined the Italian government’s Mattei Programme, granting Ghanaian innovators access to high-performance computing resources at the University of Bologna.

He added that government is in advanced talks to secure a dedicated supercomputer for Ghana, to be installed at a public university to support AI development, scientific research, and large-scale innovation.

Supporting Local Innovators to Scale Globally

The Minister stressed that African innovators often remain small not because their ideas lack potential, but because traditional financing institutions do not understand the capital needs of technology startups.

“We must ensure innovation comes from Africa. The solutions to Africa’s challenges will not come from Silicon Valley,” he said, calling for stronger angel investment networks and venture capital participation across the continent.

Building Local-Language AI Tools for Agriculture

Minister George highlighted ongoing work to develop large language models (LLMs) in local farming languages to support farmers. He noted that while Agritech tools often arrive in English, many farmers cannot read or write English or even their mother tongue.

Through collaborations with universities, including KNUST, government is developing voice-activated AI tools that deliver crop advisory services, weather alerts, and precision farming support in local languages.

Agritech Solutions Needed to Reduce Food Waste

Despite strong agricultural output, significant volumes of grains, vegetables, and tubers go to waste due to limited processing and preservation infrastructure.

The Minister said government is seeking Agritech innovations that enhance value addition and help stabilize food security during lean seasons.

Expanding Fibre-to-the-Home Nationwide

As part of an updated National Broadband Strategy, government plans to deliver five million fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) connections over the next three years using both terrestrial and aerial fibre.

He stressed that FTTH expansion must reach rural communities, not just major cities, to ensure inclusive digital development.

Affordability: The Real Barrier to Digital Inclusion

Minister George warned that expanding coverage without addressing affordability will deepen inequalities. “Access is not the solution if people cannot afford the service,” he said, noting that data prices often reflect urban income levels, leaving rural users behind.

National AI Strategy Ready for Cabinet Approval

The Minister confirmed that Ghana’s revamped National AI Strategy will be presented to Cabinet before the end of the year.

The strategy focuses on five key priority areas  agriculture and food security, healthcare and telemedicine, education technology, financial inclusion, and government digital services.

Government also plans to expand the ghana.gov platform to host more than 16,000 public services, enabling seamless access to passports, certificates, utilities, taxes, and other essential services.

Ghana Positioned for Digital-Led Economic Growth

Minister George said Ghana’s economy is recovering strongly, with a rebounding currency and projected 6% growth. However, he emphasized that sustaining this momentum requires deepening digital governance and strengthening innovation ecosystems.

He reaffirmed government’s commitment to building the infrastructure, frameworks, and partnerships necessary to establish Ghana as one of Africa’s leading technology hubs.

 

Reporting from Cape Town: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo