Google has opened applications for 100,000 Career Certificate scholarships in Ghana, distributed exclusively through the country’s One Million Coders Programme (OMC). The first wave of the programme launched on 27 April, the company said in a blog post.
The certificates cover seven tracks: AI Essentials and AI Professional, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing and E-commerce, IT Support, Project Management, and UX Design. Most are designed to be completed in under six months through self-paced online learning. The AI Essentials course runs for ten hours.
Inside the OMC partnership
The One Million Coders Programme, championed by President John Dramani Mahama, aims to train one million Ghanaians in digital skills by 2030. Google has partnered with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations to integrate the Career Certificate curriculum into the national framework.
Applications are open through onemillioncoders.gov.gh. Google has not specified eligibility criteria, scholarship monetary value, or a deadline for first-wave applications.
How it fits Google’s Africa pattern
Google has been expanding Career Certificate distribution across the continent through national-government partnerships. The company provided 1,000 scholarships to Kenyan e-commerce businesses in 2022 and, more recently, opened Africa’s first AI experience centre in Johannesburg with Liquid C2 in April. Charles Murito, Google’s Regional Director for Government Affairs and Public Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa, authored the Ghana announcement.
Ghana’s digital-skills push in context
The OMC sits alongside other African national digital-skills strategies. Kenya launched a 40-billion-shilling Universal Service Fund strategy in March that includes connectivity and skills-training pillars. Ghana’s programme distinguishes itself by partnering directly with hyperscaler-issued certifications rather than building proprietary content.
Programmes like OMC compete for participants alongside private bootcamps, university extensions, and other industry-funded scholarships. The early indicators worth watching are completion rates, certification-issuance numbers, and downstream employment placement. Google has not committed to publishing cohort-level data, and the Ministry has not yet detailed evaluation metrics.
