As African governments race to shape the future of artificial intelligence, Ghana is positioning itself at the forefront of a push for continent-wide data sovereignty, local AI development and stronger digital governance, Jon Offei-Ansah reports
Keypoints:
- Ghana wants national data hosted within African countries
- Government promotes African-built AI infrastructure and language models
- Minister calls for continent-wide digital governance and data sovereignty rules
GHANA is pushing for stronger African control over data and artificial intelligence, with Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George calling on governments across the continent to adopt common digital governance rules and reduce dependence on foreign-controlled technology infrastructure.
Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty in Accra on Thursday, George said African countries must take greater ownership of the data, digital platforms and AI systems increasingly shaping their economies and societies.
‘We will host our own data in our own country,’ the minister told delegates, outlining Ghana’s position on digital sovereignty and national data governance.
Why it matters
George’s intervention comes as governments worldwide race to establish rules for artificial intelligence, data protection and digital sovereignty. Across Africa, policymakers are grappling with how to harness AI-driven growth while ensuring that citizens’ data, digital infrastructure and economic value remain under local control.
The minister argued that Africa risks becoming a supplier of data for foreign technology companies unless governments act collectively to strengthen regulation and investment in domestic digital infrastructure.
The conference brought together lawmakers and policymakers from across Africa to discuss the impact of emerging technologies, digital governance, family policy and national sovereignty, reflecting growing concern about the continent’s role in the rapidly evolving global AI economy.
Ghana pushes local data hosting
The most significant policy message from George’s speech centred on data sovereignty.
The minister said Ghana has directed that national data involving Ghanaian citizens should be hosted within the country rather than in overseas data centres.
He argued that African governments should exercise greater control over strategic national datasets, particularly as AI systems become increasingly dependent on large-scale data processing.
George claimed that an estimated $40bn worth of African data is generated annually and that much of the economic value derived from that data is captured outside the continent. He did not cite a source for the estimate during his address.
The minister also claimed that a significant share of African personal data is processed abroad, raising concerns about data ownership, privacy and economic value creation.
The debate mirrors wider discussions across the continent over sovereign digital infrastructure. Earlier this year, Cassava Technologies launched an AI sovereign cloud platform for African governments, aimed at helping countries maintain control over sensitive national data while deploying AI-powered public services.
Building African AI infrastructure
George used the conference to highlight Ghana’s ambition to become a regional centre for AI development.
He said the government is seeking to establish a $250m national AI computing initiative designed to support local innovation and reduce dependence on foreign AI systems.
According to the minister, Ghana is working with universities and research institutions to develop national language models capable of supporting multiple Ghanaian and African languages.
The goal, he said, is to ensure that future AI applications can serve farmers, students and businesses in their native languages rather than relying exclusively on English or other foreign languages.
George argued that Africa should not simply import AI technologies developed elsewhere but should build systems tailored to local economic, cultural and developmental needs.
‘We want to own our own models and build our own models,’ he said.
His comments align with broader efforts already underway in Ghana. In March, the government announced a partnership with Huawei to provide artificial intelligence training to 3,000 girls through the Girls in ICT Programme as part of a wider digital skills strategy.
Call for African unity on digital governance
A major theme of the minister’s remarks was the need for coordinated continental action.
George urged African governments to ratify the African Union’s Malabo Convention on cybersecurity and personal data protection and to strengthen domestic legislation governing digital technologies.
He also called for the establishment of a pan-African digital governance body with treaty-level authority to coordinate policies on AI, cybersecurity, data protection and cross-border data flows.
The minister argued that African countries acting individually would struggle to influence the practices of global technology companies.
By contrast, he said, the continent’s population of more than 1.5 billion people gives Africa substantial leverage if governments adopt a common position.
‘Until we unite, we cannot fight this battle,’ George said.
Child safety and online regulation
George also used the conference to advocate stronger protections for children online.
He cited concerns about cyberbullying, online grooming, harmful content exposure and digital addiction among young people, arguing that lawmakers must take a more active role in regulating digital platforms.
The minister said Ghana is reviewing existing legislation, including its Data Protection Act and Cyber Security Act, to reflect technological developments such as artificial intelligence.
He also highlighted efforts to strengthen online safety measures for minors, including proposals that could require stricter age-verification systems for access to adult content.
Digital sovereignty moves up Africa’s agenda
George’s speech reflects a broader debate emerging across Africa over who controls the continent’s digital future.
Governments increasingly face questions over where data should be stored, how AI systems should be regulated and whether African countries are receiving sufficient economic benefit from the vast amounts of information generated by their citizens and businesses.
The issue has gained urgency as policymakers confront major infrastructure gaps. According to a recent UNECA report highlighted by Africa Briefing, Africa hosts less than one percent of global data-centre capacity, prompting calls for significant investment in AI and digital infrastructure.
While details of some of the minister’s proposals, including the planned AI computing initiative, have yet to be fully outlined publicly, the speech signals Ghana’s intention to play a leading role in shaping the continent’s digital governance agenda.
For African policymakers, the challenge now will be translating calls for digital sovereignty into practical regulations, investments and continental cooperation capable of keeping pace with rapidly evolving technologies.