Ghana has sealed a landmark $1 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates to establish a cutting-edge technology and innovation hub in Ningo-Prampram, Accra, setting the stage for what is poised to become Africa’s largest digital transformation base.
The deal was signed by Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) of Dubai. The UAE is expected to fully fund the hub, while Ghana will provide the land—25 square kilometers in Ningo-Prampram—for the first phase of development.
Minister Samuel George described the deal as the culmination of three months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and a major step in Ghana’s ambition to lead Africa’s digital future.
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“This partnership speaks to the vision of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and the potential the One Million Coders Programme holds for Ghanaians,” George said.
He described the initiative as a launchpad for tech giants like Microsoft, Oracle, Meta, IBM, and Alphabet to set up African headquarters in Ghana, along with over 11,000 companies under the PCFC umbrella.
The hub will serve as a base for AI engineering, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and machine learning data generation tailored to African needs. George noted that it will reinforce the government’s One Million Coders Programme, which aims to train young Ghanaians in fields such as AI, cybersecurity, data protection, and digital governance.
“To Ghana’s vibrant community of tech entrepreneurs, innovators, and digital talents, this is your platform,” George said. “We are creating the conditions for a digital renaissance, led by Ghanaians for Ghanaians. Our goal is not to catch up with the digital age, but to help shape it.”
UAE’s Long-Term Bet on Digital Africa
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem emphasized that in today’s world, wealth is increasingly defined by intellectual capacity rather than natural resources.
“National wealth is defined not by gold or oil but by the ability to generate, implement, and scale ideas,” he said, citing Apple’s transformation of a simple idea into a trillion-dollar enterprise.
Drawing from DP World’s automated port in Rotterdam, Sulayem argued that digital transformation is not eliminating jobs but redefining them.
“Jobs are being transformed. Workers are now managing smarter processes and customer relationships,” he said.
He also noted that as global supply chains shift, Ghana is well-positioned to become a leading production and distribution hub in West Africa.
A New Front in the Africa Tech Race
The Ghana-UAE deal places Ghana in direct competition with Nigeria, which has been advancing its own artificial intelligence (AI) and tech ambitions. Nigeria launched its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in April, focusing on infrastructure, ethical adoption, and economic development. It also established the Nigerian Artificial Intelligence Collective (NAIC) to coordinate strategy implementation.
Major players have responded. Google pledged N2.8 billion to develop AI talent across Nigeria and earlier committed N100 million to Nigeria’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR). Microsoft, for its part, announced a $1 million investment to equip one million Nigerians with AI skills.
Despite these initiatives, experts warn that much of Africa remains unprepared to fully harness the AI revolution. Critical infrastructure challenges—such as erratic electricity supply, poor broadband access, and weak digital policy frameworks—continue to slow adoption and investment.
However, Africa’s scramble for digital dominance is intensifying. While Nigeria’s push is centered on AI and capacity building, Ghana’s $1 billion project in partnership with Dubai sets a broader tone: establishing not just local talent pipelines but creating a continental base for global tech giants.
Ghana’s strategy, rooted in infrastructure and public-private collaboration, is expected to offer a more holistic blueprint, blending foreign investment, innovation ecosystems, and skills development. The UAE’s involvement adds credibility and muscle, potentially transforming Ghana into a critical node in global digital supply chains.
In the words of Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, “This is no longer about building tech parks; it’s about reshaping nations through technology.”
However, experts note that as Africa’s two tech powerhouses chart parallel paths, the success of these ambitious plans will depend not only on the billions pledged but also on the ability to overcome local structural challenges, attract long-term investment, and create inclusive digital economies that serve their populations.