Communications Minister calls for Global Investment to close Digital Divide as AI Infrastructure Plans Advance
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has called for increased international investment in telecommunications infrastructure and digital technology.
He noted that stronger global cooperation is needed to extend internet access and ensure African countries benefit from emerging technologies.
He said this at the 2026 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26) in Doha, Qatar.
Addressing the conference, Mr George said the scale of digital exclusion across Africa required coordinated interventions, noting that more than half of the continent’s population remained offline in 2026.
He urged the ITU and its member states to prioritise practical measures that would expand connectivity in underserved communities, particularly through investment in last-mile infrastructure.
The Minister also called for a more equitable framework for access to spectrum and satellite orbits, arguing that these resources were important to expanding telecommunications coverage and enabling broader participation in the digital economy.
Ghana, he said, was pursuing domestic initiatives to strengthen its technological capacity, including the establishment of a National AI Compute Centre to support research, innovation and business development.
The facility is intended to provide infrastructure for artificial intelligence development while supporting the country’s ambition to promote responsible, ethical and inclusive use of the technology.
He also cited the One Million Coders initiative as part of efforts to develop the digital skills required by the country’s workforce to participate in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
On cybersecurity, Mr George highlighted Ghana’s Tier 1 classification in the Global Cybersecurity Index and said the country was prepared to share its experience in establishing Computer Emergency Response Teams and Child Online Protection protocols with other ITU member states.
The Minister called for the ITU’s 2027–2030 Strategic Plan to place greater emphasis on measurable outcomes, particularly in infrastructure investment and equitable access to telecommunications resources.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
