The recent Africa Education Trust Fund (AETF) Artificial Intelligence Conference in Accra brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including ministers, policymakers, researchers, and youth leaders, to discuss the development of homegrown AI solutions in Africa. The conference highlighted the need for collaboration between academia and industry to achieve sustainable progress in AI.
Under the theme ‘AI for Africa: Unlocking Opportunities for Education, Innovation and Sustainable Development’, the event explored AI’s potential in various sectors such as education, security, finance, and agribusiness. Chief of Staff Julius Debrah emphasized the economic benefits seen in countries that have integrated AI into their education systems and called for the development of a national AI framework in Ghana, including digitalizing African languages.
The conference also showcased Ghana’s ‘One Million Coders Programme’ as a strategic initiative to establish the country as an AI hub in West Africa. Minister Samuel Nartey George confirmed the government’s commitment to integrating AI across all ministries and agencies by next year, supported by an Emerging Technologies bill to regulate AI use.
The event stressed the importance of building indigenous digital capabilities to avoid reliance on foreign technologies, which pose security risks. AETF Chairman Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah highlighted the fund’s role in transforming education systems to produce industry-ready graduates, ensuring that education continues to drive development across the continent.
