Ghana, UAE sign $1bn deal to build Africa's biggest tech hub

Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a technology and innovation hub aimed at accelerating Ghana’s digital transformation and positioning the country as a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies.

• Ghana and the UAE have jointly established a plan for the 'Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub.'
• This initiative aims to foster digital transformation in Ghana and position it as a leader in AI and emerging technologies.
• Major global tech companies, such as Microsoft and Alphabet, are expected to engage in this expansive project.

Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a technology and innovation hub aimed at accelerating Ghana’s digital transformation and positioning the country as a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies.

The agreement was signed by Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and the Chairman of the UAE’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

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Ghana’s growing tech reputation

The initiative, named the “Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub,” is expected to attract over 11,000 global technology firms, including global tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, IBM, and Alphabet seeking to expand their presence in the country and across the continent.

The companies under the PCFC umbrella will serve as a regional base for AI engineering, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and data generation for Africa-focused machine learning.

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The PCFC will fully fund the first phase of the project in collaboration with leading AI firms involved in Dubai’s AI transformation.

This phase will include the development of a 25 square kilometre (Km2) site in Ningo-Prampram with the government providing the land for the initiative.

Ghana has earned a growing reputation as one of Africa’s emerging tech hubs, driven by proactive government policies, vibrant startup activity, and increasing international interest. In April 2019, Google opened Africa’s first centre for artificial intelligence (AI), in Accra, Ghana.