How Hubtel is rethinking AI in Ghana: Own your data, rent the intelligence
From the trader at Makola checking prices on her phone to the graduate in Kumasi searching for work, one question is getting louder across Ghana. Will artificial intelligence make life better, or will it take away what people already have? Ghana has placed its bet. In 2025 it launched a ten-year national AI strategy, and government has committed $270 million to get the country ready. But for…
In Ghana, a digital economy strategy has been launched, with a $270 million investment over ten years. However, for ordinary Ghanaians, the most useful answers may come from a local company, Hubtel. Augustine Adjei, Head of Engineering at Hubtel, explained the country's AI journey at the premiere of the AI & Ghana documentary on Joy News.
Hubtel, which helps Ghanaians pay bills, send money and order goods, has learned to adapt to the rapid advancements in AI technology. Instead of trying to compete with global giants, Hubtel has chosen to rent the intelligence of leading AI companies while owning their data. Augustine Adjei compared AI advancements to a catapult, stating that while the disruptive force may cause pain, those who prepare will move forward faster.
Hubtel built its own AI lab in 2023 and successfully helped the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) catch power theft, but the global market soon offered more powerful tools for a lower price. Hubtel decided to stop building and start buying access to these tools, negotiating with global AI companies for access while retaining ownership of their data.
Hubtel's virtual call centre now uses AI to answer customer inquiries, using data that belongs to Hubtel itself. This approach has proven successful, as Ghanaians can now receive accurate information in their own language. Communicating Minister Honorable Sam George emphasized that AI models are only as good as their data sets, and Hubtel's strategy demonstrates the importance of fixing data first.
For those concerned about job displacement, Augustine Adjei urged Ghanaians to evolve and adapt, with the understanding that AI is not an autonomous entity but a tool shaped by human input and bias.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
