Ghana's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector expanded by 20.2% in 2025, significantly outpacing the national economic growth of 6.0%. This impressive growth highlights Ghana's enthusiastic embrace of digitalisation across government, banking, healthcare, and education.
Despite this rapid digital transformation, a critical question remains unanswered: how much of the technology driving this change is built by Ghanaians? Billions of GHS are spent on digital systems, yet there is no clear national figure detailing the economic value generated specifically by Ghanaian software developers and locally developed digital products. This lack of data obscures the true extent of Ghana's ownership in its burgeoning digital economy.
This situation presents a significant challenge to Ghana's broader economic strategy. While the country is becoming highly digitised, it risks becoming a consumer of foreign technology rather than a producer. This could mean much of the economic value, including profits from software licenses, cloud services, and consultancy, flows out of the country. Ensuring local participation in technology development is crucial for long-term economic sovereignty and job creation.
The Ghana Report, a respected publication, highlights this crucial distinction. It argues that while Ghana needs international expertise, the digital transformation must simultaneously build Ghanaian technological capability. Without this focus, the nation could miss an opportunity to convert public expenditure into domestic technological capacity and intellectual property.
To address this, Ghana must implement strategic policies that ensure local content in digital projects. This includes government procurement policies that mandate meaningful participation by Ghanaian firms and professionals. Such policies could require local software development, technology transfer programmes, and training for Ghanaian engineers. The objective is not to exclude foreign companies but to ensure foreign investment leaves Ghana more technologically capable.
A comprehensive Local Digital Content and Software Development Framework is essential. This framework should establish measurable targets for local participation in public-sector digital procurement. Instead of simply tracking which Ghanaian company wins a contract, the government should measure the actual local value created. This includes factors like local developers employed, local software development, and local intellectual property ownership.
Ghana possesses significant technological talent within its universities, tech hubs, and startup communities. Young Ghanaians are already building innovative applications and platforms. However, this talent needs an ecosystem that provides market access, capital, and opportunities to commercialise innovations. Government, as the largest buyer of digital services, holds the power to shape this ecosystem through its purchasing decisions.
Treating digitalisation as an industrial policy, rather than just an ICT programme, is vital. Every major government technology investment should include a measurable local-capacity component. This approach would ensure that public spending directly contributes to the growth of a robust, locally-owned digital industry. This strategic shift is necessary for Ghana to transition from digital consumption to digital production, securing its economic future in the digital age.
The Ghana Statistical Service, Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, and the National Information Technology Agency must collaborate. They need to develop robust measurement systems to track local value creation in the digital sector. Without accurate data, Ghana cannot effectively manage its progress towards digital sovereignty. This proactive approach will ensure the country's digital growth benefits its citizens and economy directly.