Ghana is exploring potential partnerships with the U.S. tech giant Meta Platforms (Meta) to drive its digital development.
Last week, Ghana’s Communications Minister, Samuel Nartey George, met with Meta’s Vice President for Public Policy in Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, Kojo Boakye, to discuss this initiative.
Discussions on AI, Innovation, and Digital Inclusion
During the meeting, they examined how Meta could support Ghana’s digital growth. The Ministry released a statement last week regarding the discussions:
“Considering Meta’s expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and modern technologies, as well as the popularity of its platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—in Ghana, opportunities for collaboration were explored. This potential partnership could be based on similar projects Meta has conducted with other countries.”
Alignment with Other Digital Initiatives
This meeting coincided with discussions held with Ecobank Ghana, which focused on digital inclusion, financial technology, and innovation. This alignment highlights Ghana’s commitment to fostering digital collaboration.
Additionally, Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George engaged in multiple digital cooperation talks throughout March, including discussions with Germany, Italy, Turkey, Israel, fiber company CSquared, Deloitte, the Regional African Satellite Communications Organization (RASCOM), and UNESCO.
Ghana’s Current Digital Development Status
Ghana scored 0.6316 out of 1 on the 2024 e-Government Development Index (EGDI), ranking 108th out of 193 countries. This score places Ghana above the West African and African averages but still significantly below global standards. The country lags particularly in human capital development (0.5586) and online services (0.6084).
A potential agreement with Meta could help Ghana address these gaps and advance its digital transformation.
While Meta has expressed willingness to support Ghana’s digital development, no formal agreement has been announced yet, and discussions are still ongoing.