Ghana to review all public-sector AI acquisitions under new directive

The Ghanaian government is set to implement a new directive that mandates a centralised technical review for all artificial intelligence (AI) systems procured by public institutions. This move aims to enhance data protection, cybersecurity, and local control over critical digital infrastructure. The directive was unveiled by Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, during the US Embassy AI Forum in Accra.

Under this arrangement, George's Ministry will oversee the technical requirements, while the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) will spearhead the technical scoping of proposed AI deployments. This mechanism is intended to complement existing public procurement laws, rather than replace them. Government-acquired AI systems will be evaluated based on criteria encompassing interoperability, data protection, cybersecurity, sustainability, and local skills transfer.

The objective is to decrease reliance on individual technology vendors and ensure investments in AI bolster Ghana's data sovereignty and domestic technical capacity.

This directive is a key component of Ghana's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, launched by President John Dramani Mahama. The strategy identifies sectors such as finance, agriculture, fisheries, education, health, and communications for phased AI integration. The government is also investing in an AI Compute Centre and upgrades to the National Data Centre, along with the One Million Coders Programme, which has already registered over 141,950 participants.

A proposed 10-year National AI Delivery Framework will guide the implementation of these initiatives over the long term.