Ghana - National AI Strategy

Overview

The Ghana National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2023–2033 is a national, cross‑sectoral roadmap adopted in October 2023 to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for inclusive socio‑economic development, improved public services and national competitiveness while embedding ethics, human rights and data governance into AI adoption. The strategy was developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (now Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations) with support from international partners and technical collaborators. It sets a ten‑year vision (2023–2033), identifies strategic pillars across education, infrastructure, data governance, sector adoption, research and public‑sector integration, and recommends an institutional coordination mechanism (a Responsible AI Office) to coordinate implementation and monitoring. The strategy was published and publicised by government stakeholders in October 2023; the document and associated materials have been used to inform national readiness assessments, stakeholder consultations and initial pilot activity. The full text provided in the original materials is available at: https://www.africadataprotection.org/Ghana-AI-Strat.pdf.

Definitions

The Strategy provides working definitions to align policy guidance with existing national legal instruments. Core definitions include: artificial intelligence (AI) described as technologies that enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence; machine learning and related methodological approaches; datasets and data governance terminology; notions of “Responsible AI” encompassing ethics, fairness, accountability and transparency; and definitions of roles such as data controllers and data processors consistent with Ghana’s Data Protection Act. These definitions are intended for policy clarity, to guide obligations, procurement standards, risk assessment and sectoral deployment, and to ensure interoperability with Ghana’s existing legal and regulatory framework where appropriate.

Governance and Institutional Framework

The Strategy proposes a governance model anchored in a central coordinating entity—the Responsible AI (RAI) Office—hosted within or working closely with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations. The RAI Office is recommended to lead cross‑agency planning, coordinate implementation across ministries and regulators, monitor progress, convene public and private stakeholders, issue guidance on standards, and provide support for procurement, pilots and ethical frameworks. The Strategy explicitly foresees close coordination between the RAI Office and existing regulatory institutions including the Data Protection Commission (DPC), the Cybersecurity Authority, the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and relevant sectoral ministries and regulators (health, finance, transport, lands, energy, agriculture and others). Sectoral regulatory responsibilities remain with existing sector regulators; the Strategy positions the RAI Office as a coordinating and enabling body rather than a replacement for sector regulators.

Key Focus Areas

• AI Education and Workforce Development — Expand AI literacy, tertiary education programmes, vocational training and public‑sector capacity building to create a pipeline of AI talent and equip public servants with skills for AI adoption.
• Youth and Entrepreneurship — Empower youth and entrepreneurs through targeted support, incubation and incentives to catalyse local AI startups and solutions adapted to Ghanaian needs.
• Digital Infrastructure and Compute Capacity — Deepen national digital infrastructure, increase compute capacity (including investment in data centres and cloud resources) and close gaps that limit large‑scale AI development and deployment.
• Data Access, Sharing and Governance — Facilitate secure and responsible data access and sharing through governance frameworks, alignment with the Data Protection Act and national data‑sharing initiatives, while preserving privacy and security.
• National Coordination and Ecosystem Support — Coordinate the national AI ecosystem, establish governance arrangements (RAI Office), promote multi‑stakeholder engagement and align investments across public and private actors.
• Sectoral Adoption — Accelerate AI adoption in priority sectors: health, agriculture, transport, energy, land and natural resources, and financial services with use‑case pilots and sectoral roadmaps.
• Applied Research and Centres of Excellence — Invest in applied AI research, centres of excellence and local language resources (including natural language processing for Ghanaian languages) to support locally relevant models and datasets.
• Public Sector Integration and Standards — Promote AI adoption in the public sector through pilots, procurement standards, documentation, auditability, and procurement safeguards to ensure transparency and accountability for high‑impact systems.

Implementation Framework

The Strategy sets out an implementation approach framed across near‑term, medium‑term and long‑term actions within the 2023–2033 horizon. Near‑term actions (2023–2026) prioritise policy harmonisation, pilot projects, data digitisation, organisational setup and capacity building (including forming the RAI Office and initial public‑sector pilots). Medium and long‑term actions focus on infrastructure investments, mainstreaming AI in public services, expanding education and workforce initiatives, and scaling sectoral deployments through to 2033. Implementation responsibilities are distributed across the RAI Office (coordination, monitoring, guidance), sector ministries and regulators (sectoral policies, enforcement and sector‑specific risk assessment), universities and research institutes (research priorities and capacity building), and private sector actors and civil society (innovation, deployment, participatory design). The Strategy recommends procurement safeguards for government AI procurement, mandatory documentation and model cards for production systems, and capacity building for regulators to enable enforcement and oversight. While the Strategy is a policy instrument rather than primary legislation, it sets recommended measures and institutional arrangements to be operationalised through administrative action, inter‑ministerial arrangements and, where necessary, legislative review.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation are intended to be led by the proposed Responsible AI Office in coordination with sector regulators and partner agencies. The Strategy recommends establishment of monitoring indicators covering policy implementation, digital maturity and AI readiness, pilot outcomes, infrastructure targets, workforce metrics and research outputs. It calls for regular readiness assessments, capacity‑building metrics for public agencies, documentation of pilot case studies, and periodic public reporting to ensure transparency and enable iterative refinement. National readiness assessments, stakeholder consultations and capacity‑building events were initiated following adoption, with government activity in 2024–2025 including AI readiness activities, stakeholder forums, ministerial bootcamps and training initiatives. The Strategy also encourages collaboration with international partners for benchmarking and methodological support for ethical AI readiness and monitoring.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

The Strategy itself does not establish new penal provisions or a separate liability regime; rather it locates enforcement and potential sanctions within Ghana’s existing legal and regulatory framework. It explicitly references enforcement channels under existing statutes, notably privacy enforcement under the Data Protection Act and applicable cybersecurity legislation. The Strategy recommends that the RAI Office, in collaboration with sector regulators, develop graduated enforcement approaches and compliance support mechanisms, and where necessary propose legislative amendments to introduce tailored sanctions or penalties for AI‑related harms consistent with Ghana’s legal framework. The document signals the need for transparent procedures for audits, documentation and remedies, and recommends capacity building for regulators who will handle enforcement, compliance assessments and appeals consistent with sectoral law.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The Strategy situates itself within Ghana’s existing legal and policy architecture and recommends alignment with primary national instruments. It explicitly references and proposes alignment with: the Data Protection Act (Act 843), the Electronic Transactions Act, the Cybersecurity Act and other digital policy instruments and sectoral laws. The Strategy emphasises that sectoral regulatory responsibilities (health, finance, transport, lands, energy, agriculture, etc.) remain with the relevant sector regulators and that harmonisation across laws and policies is required. It recommends integration with national digital transformation plans, national data‑sharing frameworks and open data initiatives to ensure coherence and interoperability across government programmes.

International Alignment

The Strategy was developed and published with technical support from multilateral and international partners and explicitly references international cooperation. Partners and collaborators named in the Strategy’s development include Smart Africa, GIZ FAIR Forward, The Future Society and subsequent collaboration with UNESCO and other partners to apply AI readiness methodologies. The Strategy also situates Ghana’s national roadmap within continental and international discussions on AI governance and cooperation; related regional developments include AU continental AI strategy engagements and collective readiness initiatives. These international alignments are intended to inform standards, best practices, capacity building and benchmarking while ensuring that Ghana’s approach reflects international norms on ethics, human rights and data protection.

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References