Ghana and UAE Sign $1 Billion Deal to Build Africa’s Largest Innovation Hub in Ningo-Prampram

Ghana is poised to become a continental leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies following a landmark $1 billion partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On May 29, 2025, 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), signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub.

A Game-Changing Innovation District

The project will develop a sprawling 25 square kilometre innovation district in Ningo-Prampram, Greater Accra Region. Fully financed by the UAE’s PCFC, with Ghana providing the land, this hub is designed to serve as a regional base for AI engineering, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and machine learning tailored to Africa’s unique data needs.

The hub is expected to attract over 11,000 global companies under the PCFC umbrella, including tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, IBM, and Alphabet. It will act as a launchpad for multinational corporations aiming to expand their footprint across Ghana and the wider African market.

Empowering Ghana’s Youth and Tech Ecosystem

Minister Samuel Nartey George emphasized that the hub aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s vision to make innovation a key driver of sustainable and inclusive development. “This hub will create a space where investment meets ingenuity, where the creativity of Ghana’s youth is matched with opportunities to try, and where advanced technologies are developed, deployed and exported,” he said.

The initiative complements Ghana’s flagship One Million Coders Programme, which aims to equip young Ghanaians with skills in AI, cybersecurity, data protection, and digital governance. “To Ghana’s vibrant community of tech entrepreneurs, innovators, and digital talents, this is your platform,” Minister George added. “We are creating the conditions for a digital renaissance, led by Ghanaians for Ghanaians.”

Innovation as the New Wealth

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who also chairs global logistics giant DP World, highlighted the shift in how national wealth is measured today. “Wealth is no longer about gold or oil but about the ability to generate, implement, and scale ideas,” he said, citing Apple’s transformation of a simple concept into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise as an example.

He explained that automation and AI are changing the nature of work, but jobs aren’t disappearing—they’re evolving. Using DP World’s automated port in Rotterdam as an example, he noted that workers are transitioning from manual tasks to managing smart processes and customer engagement.

Ghana’s Strategic Position in Africa

With global supply chains becoming more localized, Bin Sulayem said Ghana is strategically positioned to become a key production and distribution hub for West Africa. The innovation hub is expected to catalyze digital entrepreneurship, attract foreign direct investment, and transform Ghana into a nerve centre for Africa’s technology ecosystem.

Timeline and Outlook

The first phase of the project is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed before the end of 2027. The hub promises to be a catalyst for local innovation, job creation, and a significant boost to Ghana’s digital economy, positioning the country as a tech powerhouse on the continent.

This historic partnership marks a bold step towards a future where Ghana’s brightest minds innovate at home, driving Africa’s digital transformation and economic growth.