Bright Simons questions Sam George on feasibility of Ghana’s AI compute centre, cites power and water costs

Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has raised concerns about the feasibility of Ghana’s proposed AI compute centre, focusing on electricity costs, water supply, and the country's track record with locally developed technology projects. Speaking at JoyNews’s Digital Economy Forum on AI and the Ghana Economy on Wednesday, October 21, Simons pointed out that electricity costs would significantly impact the facility's efficiency, suggesting that Ghana might struggle to compete if energy prices remained high.

He warned that the centre would either need to charge users higher fees or rely on government subsidies to operate. Simons also questioned the government's ability to guarantee a stable electricity supply, emphasizing that availability is as crucial as pricing. Additionally, he highlighted the substantial water requirements for operating a large data centre, citing Ghana's past experiences with managing desalination plants as a relevant example.

The IMANI Africa Vice President then questioned the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, about what had changed in Ghana’s technology ecosystem to make the proposed AI centre more likely to succeed compared to previous attempts at developing locally built digital services. Simons pointed to past efforts, such as establishing local government email services and payroll management software, and referenced the experience of Ghanaian entrepreneur Herman Chinery-Hesse, who advocated for local software solutions but ultimately failed to achieve significant results.

He asked what had changed to bring about a different outcome and urged the government to demonstrate the new ideas or approaches that could prevent the proposed project from encountering similar difficulties. Simons called for a thorough examination of the initiative, encouraging the government to engage think tanks and other stakeholders in the decision-making process through open debate and rigorous analysis.

He criticized the tendency to support government initiatives without critical evaluation, arguing that major technology investments require evidence-based discussions and careful consideration. Simons maintained that his concerns were based on a pragmatic assessment of the project’s challenges rather than pessimism, emphasizing his empirical and realistic approach.