Ghana’s AI Audit Turns to Private Sector as Cabinet-Approved Strategy Enters Implementation

Ghana has moved to the next phase of its artificial intelligence (AI) governance audit, with consultations now extending beyond government ministries to the private sector and civil society, as authorities assess how well the country’s institutions are positioned to implement a national AI strategy that received cabinet approval just weeks ago.

Ghana’s National AI Strategy received cabinet approval in February 2026, marking the culmination of years of consultation and institutional work led by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology’s (KNUST) Responsible AI Lab (RAIL) in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations and the British High Commission. The strategy is now in its early implementation phase, with the UNESCO Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) being deployed to identify governance gaps and institutional weaknesses before they become entrenched.

The first round of stakeholder consultations, held on March 5 for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), examined whether government institutions have the regulatory frameworks, data governance systems, and technical capacity needed to deploy AI responsibly. Emmanuel Ofori, Director of Innovations at the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, said government institutions carry the primary responsibility for getting AI governance right. “Government institutions sit at the center of AI governance, and it’s crucial we get it right,” he said.

The consultations now turn to Ghana’s private sector and civil society. The RAM process requires a national team comprising representatives from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to complete a structured questionnaire across dimensions including policy and regulatory frameworks, technical infrastructure, human capital, and societal impact. The final output will be a country report providing concrete policy recommendations on how to address governance gaps.

The timing of the audit is not incidental. President John Dramani Mahama has directed government agencies to begin integrating AI tools into public sector operations by 2026, aligning with national modernisation goals. The government has also announced an Emerging Technologies Bill, currently in draft form, aimed at establishing ethical and data protection standards and reinforcing accountability mechanisms for AI use.

Carl Ampah, speaking on behalf of UNESCO Representative Edmond Moukala, said the assessment is about more than institutional checklists. “AI must serve humanity, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status,” he said. “AI has vast potential but also poses significant risks if not managed responsibly, including deepening inequalities and undermining trust.”

As of October 2025, more than 70 countries had engaged with UNESCO’s RAM framework, with over 30 having completed the exercise. The assessments have been used to develop tailored national roadmaps for inclusive and sustainable AI adoption. Ghana is among the first West African nations to undertake the exercise at this level of inter-institutional depth.

Professor Jerry John Kponyo of KNUST, whose Responsible AI Lab anchored the national strategy’s development, said the private sector consultations will be critical in aligning commercial AI deployment with the ethical and inclusivity standards the strategy demands. He called for closer collaboration between government, industry, academia and civil society, arguing that a trustworthy AI ecosystem cannot be built by any single sector alone.