The Government of Ghana has officially announced the commencement of the One Million Coders program, a transformative initiative aimed at equipping one million young Ghanaians with vital digital skills to thrive in the fast-evolving global economy.
The announcement, which is in fulfilment of the NDC’s campaign promise ahead of the 2024 general elections, was made by the Minister for Communications, Digital Innovation and Technology, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, at a press briefing held in Accra.
Highlighting the centrality of technology to Ghana’s economic reset, Hon. George emphasized that the 1 Million Coders program is a key component of President John Dramani Mahama’s broader vision of repositioning Ghana as a leader in Africa’s digital economy.
“The technology sector is a central pillar of Ghana’s economic reset and is critical to positioning Ghana at the top of the digital and competitive global economy”.
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communications, Digital Innovation and Technology
The 1 Million Coders program stems directly from a pre-election promise made by President Mahama to prioritize the development of digital talent.
The program, according to Hon. George, aims to empower the youth with cutting-edge skills in business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) sectors — areas forecasted to be significant drivers of job creation and economic growth.
“As a ministry, we have quickly moved to tend this vision into action to equip our youth for the future of work through the 1,000,000 coders program.
“The ministry has launched intensive efforts to mobilize partners and secure the resources needed to implement the program and deliver results at scale through strategic diplomacy and public-private partnerships.
Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communications, Digital Innovation and Technology
Strategic Partnerships
These partnerships, built through strategic diplomacy and public-private collaboration, are already bearing fruit.
A key development in this regard is the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the MTN Group in Barcelona, which will provide substantial support for the program.
Additionally, Hon. George revealed that several other agreements with both Ghanaian and international private sector players are in advanced stages and will be finalized soon.
The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, under the direction of the Ministry, has played a critical role in the technical design of the program.
According to the Minister, the Centre has developed a standardized, robust curriculum that spans beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels across multiple digital skill disciplines.
This, he noted, will ensure a uniform and inclusive training experience for participants, irrespective of their geographic location.
Hon. Sam George proudly noted that the 1 Million Coders program is intentionally inclusive, with a deliberate design to ensure that no Ghanaian is left behind in the digital revolution.
“The program is inclusive by design,” he stressed, although technical details about specific inclusivity measures were expected to be shared at the official launch.
As part of the phased rollout, the Ministry announced that a pilot program will be launched exactly one week from today, on April 16, 2025.
The pilot will cover four regions: Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, and Upper East, in which more than 250 individuals from Accra, Bolgatanga, Sunyani, and Kumasi are set to participate in the launch event, signaling the start of a nationwide movement toward digital empowerment.
Hon. Sam George expressed strong confidence in the success of the program, attributing the groundswell of private sector support to the visionary leadership of President Mahama.
He further projected that Ghana would, in the short to medium term, become a net exporter of critical digital skills, providing human capital not just for the local economy but also for the wider African and global markets.
This goal, he stressed, is fully aligned with the Ministry’s commitment to positioning Ghana as Africa’s premier digital talent hub.
The launch of the 1 Million Coders program comes at a time when global demand for digital skills is soaring, and governments around the world are investing heavily in preparing their workforces for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Ghana’s proactive step places it among a select group of African nations taking bold action to future-proof their economies.
In closing, Hon. Sam George reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to building a digitally inclusive Ghana.
He urged young Ghanaians across the country to seize the opportunity and prepare themselves to lead in the new digital economy.
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