Ghana Launches Nationwide One Million Coders Programme with Laptop Distribution

The Government of Ghana has begun the nationwide rollout of its One Million Coders Programme (OMCP) with the distribution of laptops to institutions and training centres under the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations.  The initiative, carried out on April 10, 2026, is designed to equip young Ghanaians with coding and digital skills to improve employability in the global digital economy.

The programme, originally launched nearly a year ago by President John Dramani Mahama at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, started as a pilot targeting 500 trainees across centres in Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, and Tamale. However, the pilot phase attracted significant interest, receiving about 94,000 applications within 48 hours, prompting an expansion to train approximately 1,000 participants.

According to the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, lessons from the pilot phase have informed the design of the national rollout to ensure the programme delivers practical digital skills and meaningful employment pathways for participants.

Under the first phase of implementation, the programme will operate in 130 learning centres across all 16 regions of Ghana, with each centre equipped with 50 customised laptops configured specifically for coding and digital training. The rollout is being implemented in collaboration with key institutions, including the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Ghana Digital Centres Limited, and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT.

Twelve universities, including the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast, are also participating in the initial phase of the programme. Private sector support has been acknowledged, particularly from MTN Ghana, which contributed resources valued at around US$2 million to support laptop procurement for selected universities.

The Ministry also announced that the application portal will soon reopen, allowing previous applicants to complete their registration alongside new applicants through a simplified verification system linked to the Ghana Card. In addition, 130 constituency-level coordinators have been recruited to oversee training centres and provide technical support, with plans to expand coverage to all constituencies nationwide.

The One Million Coders Programme is expected to play a key role in Ghana’s digital transformation agenda by building a skilled workforce for emerging opportunities in software development, artificial intelligence, and remote digital employment.