MTN Ghana and the University of Ghana (UG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI), digital skills development, research and innovation to equip young people with the expertise to develop technology-based solutions to Ghanaian challenges.
Under the partnership signed in Accra last Wednesday, MTN Ghana will support initiatives such as AI innovation challenges and hackathons, Digital Excellence Awards, masterclasses, industry engagement and other practical learning opportunities for students.
The university, for its part, will provide its academic and research expertise, students and faculty to undertake research and develop innovative solutions to real industry and societal problems.
The collaboration will also create opportunities for internships, national service placements, industry visits, guest lecturers and knowledge exchange, bringing students into closer contact with technology practitioners.
The partnership is expected to strengthen local digital talent, improve graduate employability and promote an inclusive digital economy.
Boosting competitiveness
The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, who represented the Minister of Education, described the collaboration as the kind of industry-academia partnership needed to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and position the country competitively in the global digital economy.
He said the partnership would create pathways for talented students to translate academic excellence into productive careers while encouraging them to develop practical solutions to pressing national challenges.
Dr Apaak also commended the partners for prioritising inclusion, particularly the participation of persons with disabilities, saying technological advancement must not leave vulnerable groups behind.
Commitment
The Chief Digital Officer of MTN Ghana, Ibrahim Misto, said the partnership reflected the company’s commitment to developing local talent capable of addressing the country’s challenges with home-grown technologies.
He said MTN did not want Africa merely to “import intelligence”, but rather to develop solutions locally for local people and problems.
Mr Misto explained that the Digital Excellence Awards would recognise outstanding AI projects and female-led innovation.
He added that the collaboration would extend beyond individual events to support research and masterclasses and build a sustainable digital talent ecosystem.
Deeper relationship
The Vice-Chancellor of the UG, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the partnership represented a shift towards a deeper relationship between universities and industry, beyond corporate sponsorship.
She said the university needed industry to bring real-world challenges into classrooms and research, while companies could draw on the intellectual capacity and creativity within universities.
Prof. Amfo said the MoU would promote impactful research and inclusive innovation, including technologies that respond to the needs of persons with disabilities and support Ghanaian languages.
