Ghana is charting a bold course into the digital age with a sweeping new initiative aimed at transforming its economy through technology. Dubbed the One Million Coders Initiative, the national programme is set to train one million citizens in high-demand digital skills, marking one of the continent’s most ambitious tech education efforts to date.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Communication, Digitalisation and Innovation, the programme focuses on coding, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data analytics. But its core strength lies not just in numbers, it’s in who it seeks to empower. Youth, women, persons with disabilities, and underserved communities form the heart of the initiative, with a gender parity policy ensuring 50:50 participation between men and women.

Initial training centres are being rolled out in Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, and Bolgatanga, with Regional Digital Centres planned to drive a nationwide rollout. The programme aligns with the government’s broader development vision, following closely on the heels of the agricultural-focused Feed Ghana project. Together, they signal a twin-track strategy to build both tech and agrarian resilience.

“This programme is not just timely, it’s critical,” said the President of the Internet Society Ghana Chapter. He highlighted the importance of offline learning options and job placement systems to make the initiative truly transformative and inclusive.

The government’s vision is inspired by successful digital economies such as Rwanda and the UAE. However, experts caution that strong infrastructure, strategic execution, and sustained support will be the linchpins of its success.