Omanghana
Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Education, Clement Abas Apaak, has called on African countries to mobilise domestic resources and coordinate investment in digital infrastructure to strengthen the continent’s technological independence.
Speaking at the eLearning Africa conference in Accra, Apaak proposed that African governments commit between 1% and 2% of their annual Gross Domestic Product to a common fund dedicated to digital infrastructure development.
He argued that greater local investment would help countries retain control over their data and reduce dependence on foreign technology providers.
According to Apaak, Africa’s digital transformation must also protect the continent’s history, cultural values and locally generated information. He warned that reliance on externally controlled platforms could create vulnerabilities affecting digital sovereignty and data security.
A central part of his proposal is the development of artificial intelligence systems suited to African needs. He urged countries to build local platforms and infrastructure capable of supporting the secure use of AI across public institutions and other sectors.
Apaak also stressed that infrastructure investment must be accompanied by the training of African professionals. Local expertise, he said, would be essential to operating, maintaining and securing digital systems over the long term.
His remarks reflect broader discussions in Ghana about data ownership and the security implications of using foreign AI platforms.
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has warned against entering classified government information into foreign AI systems, citing potential national security risks.
Ghana has also outlined a $270 million AI and computing infrastructure initiative, including a sovereign data centre whose first phase is expected to be completed within 24 months.
The government’s plans further include a locally developed language model intended to support the secure processing of public-sector information and delivery of digital services.
Apaak’s proposal places domestic financing, cooperation among African countries and skills development at the centre of efforts to build a more secure and locally controlled digital economy.
Source: Omanghana
