The Ghana Government is set to introduce a centralised technical review system for all artificial intelligence (AI) technologies acquired for the public sector as part of efforts to strengthen digital governance, cybersecurity and data protection.
Speaking at the U.S. Embassy AI Forum in Accra, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, announced that government institutions seeking to acquire AI systems will be required to undergo a central technical scoping process.
Under the new arrangement, the Ministry will coordinate the technical requirements, while the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) will take the lead in assessing and defining the technical specifications for proposed AI deployments.
The initiative is intended to complement Ghana’s existing public procurement laws rather than replace them. It is also expected to help the government reduce vendor lock-in, protect national data and strengthen Ghana’s control over critical digital infrastructure.
Government-acquired AI systems will be assessed against requirements covering interoperability, data protection, cybersecurity, sustainability and local skills development.
The policy is part of the implementation of Ghana’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which is built around eight key pillars and seeks to promote the responsible adoption of AI across strategic sectors of the economy.
The AI strategy targets applications in areas including finance, agriculture, fisheries, education, healthcare and communications, with implementation expected to take place in phases.
As Ghana accelerates its digital transformation agenda, the government is also investing in technology infrastructure to support artificial intelligence development.
Planned investments include an AI Compute Centre and upgrades to the National Data Centre, which are expected to improve the country’s capacity to develop, deploy and manage advanced digital technologies.
The government is also linking AI development to workforce training through initiatives such as the One Million Coders Programme, which has recorded more than 141,950 registrations.
A proposed 10-year National AI Delivery Framework is expected to provide additional direction for the implementation of Ghana’s artificial intelligence agenda.
The government has also indicated that partnerships with international technology companies should contribute to local skills development, technology transfer and domestic innovation capacity.
The approach is designed to position Ghana not only as a market for global technology companies but also as an active partner in the development and deployment of AI solutions, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies.
The latest policy direction underscores Ghana’s growing focus on AI governance, digital transformation, data sovereignty, cybersecurity and local technology capacity as the country expands the use of artificial intelligence across the public sector.
Source: newsthemegh.com