Ghana is taking bold steps to shape the future of education and artificial intelligence (AI) on the African continent, following a high-level engagement between the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, and senior executives of Google at the ongoing Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom.
The Minister described the meeting as fruitful, noting that discussions focused on leveraging generative AI to improve the quality, accessibility, and inclusiveness of education in Ghana and across Africa. The engagement signals Ghana’s growing influence in global conversations on education technology and digital transformation.
Hon. Iddrisu highlighted Google’s July 2025 announcement of a US$37 million investment in AI research and digital skills development across Africa, including the establishment of a new AI Community Center in Accra. The investment forms part of Google’s broader US$1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital future and firmly positions Ghana as a strategic hub for innovation, research, and skills development.
“Ghana is not just participating in the AI revolution; we are helping to shape it for Africa,” the Minister stated, underscoring government’s resolve to ensure that technological advancement translates into real educational gains for learners.
As part of ongoing collaboration, Google is working closely with the University of Ghana and the GDI Hub to advance speech recognition and AI tools for Ghanaian languages such as Twi, Ewe, and Dagbani. A key focus of this work is on non-standard speech, a move expected to significantly improve accessibility for learners, teachers, and users of digital public services.
During the engagement, Hon. Iddrisu stressed the importance of expanding language inclusion to cover Hausa, a widely spoken language in Ghana and across West Africa. He noted that integrating Hausa into AI tools would deepen regional inclusion and further strengthen Ghana’s leadership role as an AI innovation hub on the continent.
In a major boost for equitable education, the Minister also announced that Google has given firm assurances that its education tools will be deployed in Ghana on a zero-rated basis. This means learners and educators will be able to access curriculum-aligned content and resources—including guidance on the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning—without data costs, regardless of their location or income level.
Education sector stakeholders have welcomed the development, describing it as a critical step toward closing the digital divide and ensuring that emerging technologies benefit all learners, not just a privileged few.
With strategic partnerships, language inclusion, and zero-rated access at the core of its approach, Ghana continues to position itself at the forefront of Africa’s education and AI transformation—demonstrating that innovation, when guided by inclusion and purpose, can be a powerful tool for national and continental development.
