Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo Calls for Supportive Ecosystem for Ghana’s Young Tech Entrepreneurs

The 2026 National ICT Week has officially commenced in Ghana, serving as a pivotal platform for stakeholders to advocate for a more robust digital ecosystem. Speaking at the event’s opening, Deputy Chief of Staff Nana Oye Bampoe Addo emphasized the urgent need to foster an environment where local digital solutions can thrive and scale. She highlighted that while Ghana’s digital economy presents immense business opportunities for the youth, a strategic focus on expanding infrastructure and supporting tech startups is essential for long-term economic growth under the current administration of President John Mahama.

Central to the government's digital agenda are initiatives designed to bridge the skills gap and leverage emerging technologies. The Deputy Minister for Communication showcased the Ghana National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which aims to integrate AI into various sectors through targeted skill-building and international partnerships. Furthermore, the One Million Coders programme remains a cornerstone of this effort, seeking to empower Ghanaian youth with the technical expertise required to lead the nation's digital transformation and compete on a global stage. These initiatives are part of a broader push by the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to create a sustainable pipeline for local innovation.

Despite the optimistic outlook, the Deputy Chief of Staff issued a cautionary note regarding the structural obstacles facing the private sector. She pointed out that heavy taxation and burdensome regulatory barriers continue to hinder the growth of young technology entrepreneurs and startups. To counter these challenges, Addo called for a more supportive financial framework and stronger ties between academia and industry. By fostering such collaborations, the government aims to ensure that local talent is effectively harnessed to create scalable, innovative solutions that address specific domestic needs while attracting foreign investment.

As the National ICT Week continues, the focus remains on ensuring that digital transformation is both inclusive and sustainable. Stakeholders and industry leaders are being urged to prioritize cybersecurity and actively work toward closing the digital divide to ensure that technological progress benefits all citizens, including those in underserved communities. The successful implementation of these policies will be critical in determining Ghana's competitiveness in the rapidly evolving global digital economy, as the government seeks to turn these strategic plans into tangible economic outcomes.