Ghana And Uae Sign $1 Billion Deal For Africa’S Largest Innovation And Technology Hub

In a landmark agreement signed in May 2025, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates inked a $1 billion deal to establish the “Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub” in Ningo-Prampram, Greater Accra Region. This ambitious initiative positions Ghana as a leading center for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in Africa, marking a significant milestone in West Africa’s digital transformation journey.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of the UAE’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) and Group Chairman and CEO of DP World. The partnership, which includes collaboration with G42, one of the world’s leading AI firms, represents President John Dramani Mahama’s vision to transform Ghana into the next AI hub of West Africa.

The first phase will involve development of a 25 square kilometer site in Ningo-Prampram, with construction set to begin in 2026 and completion expected by the end of 2027, with the entire project targeted for completion by 2028. The UAE’s PCFC will fully fund the initiative while the Government of Ghana provides the land.

The hub is expected to attract more than 11,000 global companies under the PCFC umbrella, including tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta (Facebook), Oracle, IBM, and Alphabet (Google), who plan to establish regional headquarters and AI-focused innovation labs in Ghana. These companies will develop solutions tailored for Africa’s unique challenges across agriculture, healthcare, and education sectors.

The innovation district will serve as a regional base for AI engineering, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and machine learning data generation tailored to Africa’s needs. The project is expected to generate over 100,000 jobs spanning software development, cybersecurity, and data science, while spurring local startup growth and attracting further foreign direct investment.

Minister Samuel George, who also represents Ningo-Prampram in Parliament, emphasized: “This hub will create a space where investment meets ingenuity, where the creativity of Ghana’s youth is matched with opportunities to thrive, and where advanced technologies are developed, deployed and exported. It is about building a nation where our brightest minds no longer look outwards for opportunity, but see it in their own backyards.”

The initiative directly supports Ghana’s flagship One Million Coders Programme, which aims to train young Ghanaians in AI, cybersecurity, data protection, and digital governance. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem noted: “Today, wealth is not measured by gold or oil but by the ability to generate, implement, and scale ideas. Look at Apple—they transformed a simple concept into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.”

This partnership strengthens bilateral relations between Ghana and the UAE, positioning Ghana as a pivotal player in Africa’s digital revolution and a magnet for global tech innovation.