Ghana targets half a million youth with digital skills by 2028 – Armah-Kofi Buah

Ghana will train half a million youth and women in digital skills by 2028 under the government’s bold 1 million Coders Programme, Caretaker Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced.

Speaking on behalf of the minister at the opening ceremony of GAIAfest 2025 in Accra on August 20, 2025, Prof Marian Dorcas Quain, Deputy Director-General of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-Ghana), said the initiative will equip young people with expertise in Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, cybersecurity and data analytics, creating 200,000 direct digital jobs and boosting digital exports by over US$2 billion annually.

She described the move as central to Ghana’s vision of becoming a leading digital hub in West Africa, while also addressing Africa’s wider developmental needs.

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“Africa’s demographic advantage can become a competitive edge if we invest in the skills, creativity, and entrepreneurial capacity of our youth. GAIAfest is more than an event it is a movement to empower innovators who will shape Africa’s role in the global digital economy,” she said.

Prof Quain also highlighted additional proposals in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto, including the creation of a Ministry of Youth Development, a GH¢750 million Adwumawura microcredit programme for 10,000 youth-led businesses annually, and the establishment of Youth Innovation and Industrial Parks to expand entrepreneurship, ICT and smart agriculture.

She called on the Edenway Foundation, organisers of GAIAfest, to collaborate with government agencies to extend digital training and entrepreneurship support nationwide through its network of GAIA Clubs.

The event, spearheaded by Prof George Wiafe and the Edenway Foundation, builds on the GMES and Africa programme, with support from the European Union and the African Union Commission.

This year’s GAIAthon 2025 engaged 16 universities from across Africa, with student teams developing practical innovations in IoT-enabled smart systems, digital platforms and geospatial intelligence to tackle environmental and developmental challenges.

Prof Wiafe explained that GAIA was conceived as a legacy initiative to nurture youth leadership and innovation beyond donor projects.

“Africans must build solutions for Africa. GAIA is about confidence, creativity and excellence,” he said.

Prof Sandow M Yiadana, Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, said GAIAthon’s objectives align with the University’s strategic plan in climate science, environmental monitoring and smart agriculture.

“Through training and research, universities prepare the next generation of innovators who will design solutions to the pressing challenges of climate change, food security and sustainable development,” he said.

He noted that GAIAthon’s innovation tracks align with the University’s strategic priorities, particularly in remote sensing, smart agriculture and environmental monitoring, where students are already producing scalable solutions.

The African Space Agency, represented by Dr Tidiane Ouattara, also stressed the importance of applying EO and AI tools in tackling climate change, resource management and illegal mining (galamsey).

AM/AE

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