MTN Group and the Government of Ghana have signed a landmark agreement to collaborate on the ‘One Million Coders Program,’ a flagship initiative aimed at equipping young Ghanaians with artificial intelligence (AI), coding, and digital skills to drive the country’s digital transformation.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona by Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Honourable Samuel Nartey George, and MTN Group President and CEO, Ralph Mupita.
Minister Samuel George described the initiative as a key project of President John Mahama’s administration, emphasizing the government’s goal to build capacity in AI, digital technology, data governance, and cybersecurity among Ghana’s youth.
“We engaged with MTN Group and expressed our desire for a partnership to fuel the capacity of young Ghanaians in artificial intelligence, digital technology, data governance, and cybersecurity. MTN did not hesitate to support this initiative,” the minister stated.
He further highlighted MTN Ghana’s significant investment in the country as part of its 25th anniversary, noting that the MTN building donated to the government will serve as one of Ghana’s centers of excellence for AI and software development.
“We are committed to backing MTN in this endeavor,” he added.
MTN Group President Ralph Mupita thanked the Ghanaian delegation for their constructive engagements and reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s digital strategy.“
We are very focused on understanding Ghana’s strategy and how we, as MTN Group and MTN Ghana, can support it,” Mupita said.
“We appreciate the commitment of the Ghanaian government in creating an enabling environment for us to continue building the digital ecosystem that will be a catalyst for growth and expansion.”
Recognizing Africa’s diverse linguistic landscape—with over 3,000 languages spoken across the continent—Mupita stressed the need for Africans to develop their own large language models to leverage generative AI.
“We must develop our own talent, software engineers, and coding expertise to be future-fit,” he emphasized.
MTN Group Senior Vice President for Markets, Ebenezer Asante, highlighted that MTN’s collaboration with Ghana aligns closely with MTN’s strategic vision.
“Between MTN and Ghana, we will partner on common projects to advance the cause of African development,” he noted.
The MoU follows the 2023 launch of the MTN Skills Academy, which operates across several MTN markets, including Ghana. The Academy provides digital and financial skills training, offering courses in:
- Coding & Web Development
- Digital Marketing
- Data Analytics
The initiative aims to ensure that 60% of youth and adults attain at least basic proficiency in digital skills by the end of 2025.
About MTN Group
Launched in 1994, MTN Group is a leading digital operator, committed to delivering a bold new digital world. Listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code ‘MTN’, the company’s strategy, Ambition 2025, focuses on leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.