Samuel Nartey George advocates for African AI governance and digital skills

Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has advocated for a distinct African approach to the development and governance of Artificial Intelligence. Speaking at a UNESCO forum in Riyadh, George emphasized that the continent must move beyond being a passive participant and ensure that African values, data, and infrastructure are represented in the global AI ecosystem. He warned that AI models trained primarily on non-African datasets may fail to recognize cultural practices, potentially misclassifying traditional rites as inappropriate due to a lack of cultural context.

In a separate initiative focused on human capital, George highlighted the importance of digital skills training for Ghana’s digital economy. At a graduation ceremony in Accra for the Digital Skills Project—organized by Plan International Ghana with support from Nokia—the Minister commended a cohort of 26 young graduates. He noted that such programs are essential for transitioning youth from technology consumers to innovators capable of building practical solutions for community challenges.