Ghana and UAE Forge Tech Alliance with AI Innovation Hub Deal
West Africa meets the Gulf as Ghana and the UAE ink a game-changing MoU—launching a joint tech and AI hub that could reshape both economies. No details on funding yet, but you can bet the usual blockchain grifters are already circling.
This isn’t just another government handshake—it’s a direct challenge to Silicon Valley’s dominance, with oil money and emerging-market hustle joining forces. The hub promises to accelerate AI development, though skeptics wonder if it’ll become another ’innovation theater’ for photo ops.
Watch this space: if they actually deliver, this could be the rare case where geopolitical deals create real tech value—not just PowerPoint slides for VCs to drool over.
Global ICT giants and ‘enabled businesses’ to set up African HQs at the hub
🔹 Purpose of the Initiative:
Transform Ghana into a regional technology and innovation hub.
Attract foreign investment and foster economic growth across West Africa.
Support startups, entrepreneurs, and digital infrastructure development.
📌 The project reflects Dubai’s…
— Dubai | دبي (@dubai) June 2, 2025
Hon. George said the initiative, also known as the “Ningo Tech Gateway,” WOULD see global ICT giants and enabled businesses take residence in the hub as their African HQs. It will feature AI laboratories, innovation hubs, and data centers powered by renewable energy sources. The Minister added that the partnership spoke to the vision of H.E. President JD Mahama and the potential that his “One Million Coders Program” held for Ghanaians.
Member of Parliament for Asunafo North Haruna Mohammed said the hub will drive AI engineering, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and Africa-focused machine learning. The initiative is expected to attract over 11K global tech firms, including Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, IBM, and Alphabet, who are seeking to expand their presence in the country and across the continent, creating unprecedented opportunities for economic growth and job creation.
Hon. Mohammed believes that Ghanaian youths will benefit from training and employment opportunities in AI, cybersecurity, data protection, and other high-demand digital skills. He added that the initiative will help cultivate a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who will develop solutions tailored to local needs while competing globally.
“For my constituents, this initiative is a beacon of hope, offering a future where our brightest minds can find opportunity in their own backyard, contributing to a digital renaissance led by Ghanaians for Ghanaians.”
–Hon. Haruna Mohammed, MP for Asunafo North
Hon. Mohammed also reiterated that the initiative reflected Hon. George’s unwavering commitment to advancing President Mahama’s vision of diversifying Ghana’s economy through innovation and inclusive development.
Sultan Sulayem says implementing and scaling ideas defines national wealth
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who also serves as the Chairman and CEO of DP World, stated that national wealth in today’s world is defined by the ability to generate, implement, and scale ideas. He cited Apple, which turned a simple concept into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, stressing the power of ideas, engineering, and innovation.
Sultan Sulayem highlighted the global shift toward automation and AI, explaining that the role of people had evolved from manual labor to high-value design, problem-solving, and supply chain management. He used examples from DP World’s fully automated port in Rotterdam and its integrated logistics operations in over 70 countries, emphasizing that jobs were not being lost but transformed–workers now managed smarter processes and customer relationships.
The DP World CEO also said Ghana was set to become a major production and distribution hub in West Africa. He pointed out that global supply chains were strained, and companies were looking to produce goods closer to their markets.
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