Ghana Eyes Deeper Tech Ties With China At “The Big Push” Business Summit

At the Ghana-China Business Summit, which took place on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra with the theme “THE BIG PUSH,” Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP) called for a new era of strategic partnership between Ghana and China, highlighting four crucial areas for collaboration.

The Minister listed fiber optics, cloud computing, satellite broadband, and cybersecurity as some of the important pillars for future collaboration in his keynote address.

He underlined Ghana’s determination to develop its fiber optic network across the country and stated that it is willing to collaborate with Chinese companies that can provide extensive, reasonably priced infrastructure.

“We will collaborate with strategic partners who have the capacity to roll out fibre cables across the country, terrestrial and aerial fibre at scale and at speed, but most importantly at affordable pricing,” he stated.

Regarding cloud computing, the Minister disclosed plans to grow Ghana’s independent cloud platform, known as “G-Cloud,” in order to improve services for governmental, financial, and educational organizations.

In order to strengthen data sovereignty and expand the nation’s cloud capability, he invited Chinese specialists.

In terms of cybersecurity, he promoted a change from reactive to preventive security measures and called for collaborations that would give Ghana access to state-of-the-art instruments and technology to increase resilience and digital trust.

Ghana’s Smart Cities Plan, which attempts to incorporate technology into urban development, was also highlighted by the minister during the summit. The creation of smart cities was about fast industrialization and transforming existing cities into smart cities, not only creating new ones. Important efforts include smart water and electric meters, digital transit systems, and intelligent lighting and security infrastructure.

He said that in order to give legal certainty and financial incentives to businesses that are driven by innovation, Ghana was also finalizing the Innovations and Startups Bill. He also mentioned that policy hackathons and co-creation platforms are being used to promote cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Additionally, according to Hon. Nartey George, Ghana is pursuing an ambitious goal of becoming a 24-hour economy by utilizing technology, dependable electricity, and effective logistics to guarantee that productivity is not constrained by the clock.

“At the heart of this transformation are digital platforms that enable round-the-clock economic activities, e-commerce systems that operate seamlessly across time zones, mobile money and digital payment networks that remain active 24-7 and digitized sports and customs platforms that support continuous trade flows across our country. This can improve our business. So this is where digital innovation intersects with industrialization and where Ghana China Corporation can be fully transformative.” He emphasized.

The Minister positioned Ghana as the “gateway to Africa,” encouraging Chinese and international investors to use Ghana as a launchpad for the wider continent.

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He championed the idea of “technology diplomacy,” in which Ghana exports its technological solutions to neighboring countries, and emphasized Ghana’s increasing role in establishing norms for innovation and technology throughout West Africa.

In his remarks, the Minister emphasized the value of digital platforms for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and promoted integrated approaches to trade facilitation, payments, and logistics. However, he issued a warning that in order to safeguard national security, nations must prioritize data sovereignty and put in place strong data governance structures as digital trade grows.

The Minister invited all technology companies attending the event to submit proposals for partnership, stating that “If it makes sense for both Ghana and China, we will explore it,” he assured, underscoring the government’s openness to mutually beneficial collaborations.

Changfeng Digital Intelligence and Egatee were among some Chinese companies who pitched for collaboration in areas like Fintech, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Smart IoT, Data Protection, Transportation, health , Smart cities and other sectors of the economy.