Digital transformation is one of the priorities of the Ghanaian authorities, who are relying on international cooperation to achieve their goals.
Ghana and Germany discussed strengthening their collaboration in the digital sector during a meeting between Minister of Communication, Digital Technologies, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, and a German delegation on March 17.
The talks centered on promoting research and development in digital technologies, supporting information and communication technology (ICT) startups and entrepreneurs in Ghana, and accelerating the adoption of digital solutions.
This collaboration aligns with Ghana's ongoing digital transformation efforts. In late November 2024, the government launched a digital economy policy to leverage technology for growth, improve public services, and ensure equitable access. In October, a $5 million fund was announced to support technological innovation.
Ghana scored 0.6316 on the 2024 E-Government Development Index, ranking 108th out of 193 countries. The country surpasses West African and African averages but remains below the global average. Further efforts are needed in human capital development and online services, where Ghana scored 0.5586 and 0.6084, respectively.
In cybersecurity, Ghana is considered a global model by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in its "Global Cybersecurity Index 2024," though further capacity building is needed.
Germany, a global leader in digital transformation, ranked 12th, scored 0.9382 on the E-Government Development Index, well above the global average of 0.6382. On the ICT Development Index, Germany scored 87.8 out of 100.
A joint study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Google predicts Africa's digital economy will be worth $712 billion by 2050, accounting for 8.5% of the continent's GDP. In 2022, Ghana's ICT sector contributed 21 billion cedis ($1.36 billion) to GDP, representing approximately 4% of the economy, up from 4.4 billion cedis in 2016.
By Isaac K. Kassouwi,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
