Ghana has secured a major technology partnership with Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies to expand artificial intelligence (AI) training, accelerate 5G adoption, and support the country’s $250 million AI Compute Centre project.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and Huawei Senior Vice President Steven Yi at the Mobile World Congress (MWC26) in Barcelona, Spain.
Under the deal, Huawei will provide free artificial intelligence training for 3,000 girls in Ghana through the government’s ICT for Girls Programme.
Speaking in an interview with Techfocus24, Mr. George said the partnership was built on Huawei’s interest in supporting Ghana’s growing digital ecosystem, including the development of the AI Compute Centre, expansion of rural telephony services, and the rollout of 5G technology.
“We agreed that Huawei must give back to Ghana through free AI training under the Girls in ICT Programme,” the minister stated.
Currently, the ICT for Girls initiative offers two-week training modules in coding, animation, and basic computing. With Huawei’s involvement, the programme will introduce an intensive AI-focused training component aimed at equipping young girls with advanced digital skills.
“For me this is critical because once the girls complete the training, they can join my One Million Coders Programme and gain further skills. This means we are catching them young,” Mr. George explained.
For the 2026 programme, Huawei has directed its Ghana office to collaborate with the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) and the Communications Ministry to implement the training.
Beyond training, discussions also covered the establishment of a Huawei handheld device assembly plant in Ghana, which would produce affordable smartphones for both local and regional markets.
The minister noted that although more than 90% of Ghanaians currently have access to 4G coverage, actual usage remains below 60%, largely due to the high cost of smartphones.
He said the proposed assembly plant could help lower device costs, enabling more citizens to access digital services and participate fully in the country’s 4G and future 5G ecosystem.
