The National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) have committed additional funding to support the government’s flagship One Million Coders Programme, boosting national efforts to build a future-ready digital workforce beyond the initial $10 million allocation from the state.
Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, disclosed this during a meeting with the Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman on his first visit to the ministry as part of her ministerial tour.
Sam George outlined his ministry’s digital transformation agenda, describing the One million coders programme as a cornerstone of Ghana’s transition into a competitive digital economy.
According to the minister, the government initially projected a comprehensive budget of $1,000 per trainee for one million beneficiaries over four years. However, the 2025 budget allocation amounted to GHS100 million, roughly $10 million, far below the estimated requirement.
“In spite of the financial constraints, we decided to tool up before rolling out the programme fully,” Hon. Nartey George explained.
That decision led to strategic interventions by sector agencies. With Cabinet approval, the NCA, following proceeds from spectrum sales, redirected part of its resources to support the programme. GIFEC, on its part, suspended some planned interventions and mobilised funds to back the initiative.
As a result, the ministry has already secured 20,000 custom-built laptops for trainees under the One Million Coders Programme.
The minister announced that the programme will be rolled out in 100 constituencies by the end of the first quarter, using a phased approach that aligns with available resources. Training centres will leverage GIFEC infrastructure, especially in underserved communities where access to devices and high-speed internet remains limited.
“Beneficiaries in remote areas will be able to use GIFEC centres, laptops and free internet access to study,” he noted.
The target for 2025 is to train at least 400,000 people, including university students, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and selected tertiary institutions.
Beyond training numbers, Sam George stressed that employability remains the programme’s ultimate goal. To ensure global relevance, the ministry has secured partnerships with leading technology firms, including Google, MTN, Huawei and Telecel, with ongoing discussions involving Microsoft, Oracle and Amazon.
These partnerships will enable participants to earn internationally recognised certifications, addressing concerns that local ICT certificates alone may not be competitive on the global job market.
“Our dream is not just to train one million people but to ensure that after training, they can access jobs, especially remote jobs, across the world,” the minister said.
The Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT will serve as the technical partner overseeing training delivery, while local partner institutions provide on-the-ground support.
In addition to skills development, the minister revealed ongoing work on key digital governance reforms, including data protection, digital economy legislation, and a proposed Misinformation, Disinformation and Hate Speech Bill. The bill, he said, will balance freedom of expression with the need to protect citizens from harmful digital content, including deepfakes and coordinated disinformation campaigns.
Hon. Nartey George appealed for further financial backing to sustain the momentum of the One Million Coders Programme, urging stronger collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.
The minister expressed confidence that the initiative will become a defining pillar of Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, equipping hundreds of thousands of young people with globally competitive digital skills and opening new pathways to employment.
