Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation Samuel Nartey George confirmed that the first phase of Ghana’s inaugural data centre will be operational within 24 months. The facility aims to supply robust computing infrastructure to researchers, industry players and universities that currently purchase AI and computing services from abroad.
George said the government is working with the Public Procurement Authority to acquire the necessary equipment and infrastructure. He highlighted that the project will be a foundational step for the country’s AI journey, even though it will not fully meet all AI needs within two years.
Speaking at Joy News’ Digital Economy Forum on AI and the Ghana Economy, George noted that the data centre will offer significant computing capacity that can be made available to local institutions and businesses. He added, “We are currently going through procurement with PPA on getting a data centre, the computer infrastructure and all the various parts of it put together. 24 months from now, we should have phase one completed with serious computing infrastructure that we can then give to our researchers, our industry and our universities who are currently buying tokens outside the country and buying capacity outside the country.”
He concluded, “It is the first step, it is a long journey. Are we going to fix all of our AI needs in two years before the Mahama administration is off? That is wishful thinking, it is impossible but we are taking the key foundational steps that will set this country on the right track for its AI journey.”
