The Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing the digital backbone required for the country’s transition into a fourth industrial revolution (4IR) hub during a strategic mission to the People’s Republic of China.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Nana Dwemoh Benneh emphasized in an interview that GIIF has already made critical investments in fibre optic technology, and national data centres to provide the high-speed connectivity and storage capacity essential for an AI-driven economy.
This digital “bulk infrastructure,” is designed to anchor the government’s 24H+ Programme, allowing technology-driven businesses to operate round-the-clock and compete in the global digital services market.
“Ghana has a very young, talented population and is touted as having high skills in the IT-related industry. Part of the plan is to ensure that we are growing that capability and spawning businesses in that sort of industry.
“We have started to make investments in fibre optic technology and data centres, but we are inviting even more involvement to build the bulk infrastructure that will draw in the youth to take advantage of these opportunities”
Mr. Nana Dwemoh Benneh, CEO of GIIF
Mr. Benneh noted that the focus of the mission was to explore how Ghana can leverage China’s advanced research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics to empower its young, skilled human capital. With Africa’s youth projected to represent a significant portion of the global workforce by 2030, GIIF is positioning Ghana as a regional epicenter for coding, robotics, and data analytics.
By domesticating cutting-edge technology through partnerships, GIIF aims to move beyond basic internet access toward a sophisticated ecosystem where local startups can build and deploy context-aware AI solutions for health, agriculture, and finance.
Sustainable Connectivity
The GIIF boss revealed that to protect these digital assets, the government has implemented a nationwide “Dig Once Policy,” mandating the integration of fibre optic conduits and access chambers into all new road construction projects.
This policy, which aims to reduce the estimated $70 million spent annually on repairing fibre cuts, ensures that the digital highways being built are as resilient as the physical ones.
Mr. Benneh noted that by embedding connectivity directly into the national infrastructure framework, Ghana is lowering the capital cost for telecom operators and accelerating the rollout of 5G and other high-bandwidth services.
The GIIF CEO also highlighted the synergy between digital growth and renewable energy. As data centres and AI processing hubs require significant power, GIIF is seeking Chinese expertise in solar and green energy solutions to create a sustainable “green digital,” model.
This approach ensures that Ghana’s technological expansion does not compromise its climate resilience goals but rather supports them through energy-efficient infrastructure. Mr. Benneh also added that a key objective of the 24H+ digital strategy is to enable Ghanaian youth to participate in the global “gig economy” without leaving the country.
He explained that by aligning Ghana’s time zone with Europe and leveraging the 24-hour shift system, the government plans to turn the nation into a global hub for data governance, cybersecurity, and AI training.
As such, the GIIF mission to China specifically targeted partnerships that can provide the certifications and technical training required to link Ghanaian talent with international job opportunities in high-tech fields.
The engagement in China also addressed the need for robust regulatory frameworks to govern emerging technologies. The government is currently drafting an Emerging Technologies Bill to establish ethical standards for AI, robotics, and blockchain.
This regulatory clarity is intended to build investor confidence and ensure that Ghana’s digital transformation is inclusive and secure. For GIIF, the digital sector is not just a utility but a strategic asset that will determine the country’s competitiveness in the next decade.
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