ACCRA, GHANA — Yesterday, Wednesday, September 9, 2026, the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana), the U.S. Embassy in Accra, the U.S. Commercial Service and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) jointly convened the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Forum 2026 at the Marriott Hotel in Accra, under the theme “AI Deployment and Diffusion: Emerging Opportunities and Supportive Policy.”

The forum brought together government officials, industry leaders and technology partners for a half day of dialogue on Ghana’s AI trajectory, opening with remarks from U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Rolf Olson, who set the tone for a day centred on deepening U.S.–Ghana digital cooperation.

Infrastructure and market trends

The first panel, “Ghana’s Ongoing AI Infrastructure Buildout,” examined the connectivity, power and data centre infrastructure underpinning the country’s AI ambitions, with representatives from ATC Ghana, NITA, C-Squared and NEDCo.

The second panel, “AI Trends in the Ghanaian Market,” was moderated by AmCham Ghana CEO Doris Kafui Afanyedey, with panelists from EY, IPMC, eSAL and KPMG. The discussion explored how Ghanaian businesses are moving from early AI experimentation toward enterprise-wide adoption, the importance of building institutional trust and governance alongside efficiency gains, and the need for locally relevant AI solutions built around Ghana’s own data and business context.

Government vision and a landmark signing

Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, delivered a keynote address on Ghana’s AI Trajectory, outlining the Ministry’s vision for AI deployment under the National AI Strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama on April 24, 2026. The Minister underscored that Ghana’s approach to AI is anchored in national data sovereignty, local capacity building and a talent-development agenda, and stressed that the country is pursuing partnerships designed to transfer real skills and create lasting value for Ghanaian businesses.

Following the keynote, USTDA and C-Squared Africa signed an agreement for USTDA to fund a feasibility study for a project to deploy fibre-optic cable along Ghana’s existing electricity infrastructure, a step expected to help expand affordable, reliable digital connectivity across the country. The signing was witnessed by Chargé d’Affaires Rolf Olson and Hon. Samuel Nartey George.

Regulation, data protection and procurement

The third panel, “Ghana’s Emerging Legislative and Regulatory Framework for AI and Data Protection,” moderated by Tracy Magooba, Deputy Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy Accra, featured the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Telecoms Chamber. Panelists discussed how Ghana’s data protection framework must evolve to address AI-specific challenges around consent, cross-border data flows and automated decision-making, while remaining interoperable with international data-transfer standards.

The fourth panel, “Procurement for Public Sector Deployment,” moderated by Rachel Kreissl, Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy Accra, brought together GIFEC, the World Bank and GDAP to discuss practical approaches to AI procurement in the public sector, including growing calls for a unified, one-stop digital platform to simplify business licensing and regulatory compliance across Ghana’s currently fragmented agency landscape.

Enid Kanor, Deputy Chair of AmCham Ghana’s Digital Committee and representative of ATC Ghana, delivered closing remarks and key takeaways, ahead of a networking and cocktail reception that closed out the forum.

About AmCham Ghana The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana) is the premier business association dedicated to promoting U.S.–Ghana trade, investment and cultural relations, providing a platform for advocacy, networking and knowledge-sharing among member companies and stakeholders.