Ghana Calls for New Financing Models to Drive ICT Sector Growth
The Minister made the call at the Development Bank Ghana ICT Sector Financing Roundtable in Accra, held under the theme “From Connectivity to Capital: Unlocking Finance for Ghana’s ICT Sector.”
Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has called for financing models tailored to the needs of the country’s technology sector, arguing that Ghana’s digital transformation must move beyond connectivity towards creating greater economic value.
The Minister made the call at the Development Bank Ghana ICT Sector Financing Roundtable in Accra, held under the theme “From Connectivity to Capital: Unlocking Finance for Ghana’s ICT Sector.”
He said Ghana has made significant investments in fibre infrastructure, broadband, mobile connectivity and digital services, but the next stage of the country’s digital development will require greater investment in areas including data centres, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, software, fintech, business process outsourcing, artificial intelligence and other technology-enabled businesses.
According to the Minister, conventional financing models can be difficult for technology companies because they often depend on physical collateral. Technology businesses, however, derive significant value from intellectual property, proprietary technology, data, contracts, recurring revenues and human capital.
He therefore called for financing instruments that reflect the risk profiles and growth stages of technology businesses. These could include venture capital, private equity, patient capital, blended finance, guarantees and credit-enhancement mechanisms.
The Minister also highlighted government initiatives aimed at strengthening Ghana’s digital skills and artificial intelligence capabilities. He said the One Million Coders Programme had recorded 141,954 registered accounts as of August 2026, while the government is planning a $250 million Artificial Intelligence Computing Centre.
He said Ghana now needs to transition from primarily consuming technology to producing, scaling and exporting technology developed locally. Achieving this, he noted, will require stronger collaboration between government, financial institutions, development finance institutions, investors, technology entrepreneurs, regulators, development partners and academia.
The government’s objective is to mobilise capital for bankable technology projects, help Ghanaian technology companies scale, create jobs and retain more economic value within the country.
The Minister’s remarks position access to suitable financing as a key requirement for Ghana to move from expanding digital connectivity to building commercially viable technology companies and a stronger digital economy.
