The government of Ghana is targeting the creation of 100,000 digitally enabled jobs within the next two years as it shifts its focus from digital skills training to employment opportunities under the One Million Coders Programme. Corrections Policy
Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, announced the target during a monitoring visit to the Ashanti Region, where he assessed the implementation of the programme and engaged with participants at various training centres.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader strategy to equip young Ghanaians with practical technology skills and connect them to employment opportunities in the expanding digital economy.
According to the Minister, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry to ensure that the programme delivers employment opportunities alongside its training objectives.
The new emphasis is intended to help participants translate the knowledge they acquire into productive work rather than completing courses without clear pathways into the labour market.
Mr George explained that the government remained confident of meeting its original commitment to train one million Ghanaians in digital skills over four years. However, the administration is now placing greater emphasis on ensuring that those skills contribute directly to job creation and economic activity.
“We are pivoting now away from the training into the job creation,” the Minister said, expressing confidence in the government’s ability to reach its employment target.
The announcement marks an important development in the One Million Coders Programme, which seeks to expand access to digital education and prepare citizens for opportunities in technology-related industries.
Digital skills have become increasingly important as businesses adopt new technologies to improve productivity, communicate with customers and manage information.
Employers across several industries require workers who can handle digital platforms, analyse data, develop software and support technology-based operations.
For Ghana, expanding the pool of digitally skilled workers could help address some employment challenges while positioning the country to attract businesses looking for technology talent.
Mr George disclosed that the programme had already developed a pool of 10,000 data annotators whose skills could be presented to companies seeking workers for specific digital assignments.
Data annotation involves labelling or categorising information used to develop and evaluate artificial intelligence systems. Depending on the project, workers may classify images, label text, review audio recordings or organise datasets to help AI systems recognise patterns and produce useful results. Editorial Ethics & Independence
The work offers one possible entry point into the digital economy for people who are developing technology-related skills. However, the availability of assignments will depend on employer demand, project requirements and the ability of trained workers to meet the standards expected by clients.
The government is also looking towards international companies that outsource digital services. By building a reliable workforce, Ghana could attract contracts that allow local workers to provide services to businesses operating in other markets.
Such opportunities could create additional income streams and expand the range of employment options available to young people. Nevertheless, securing these benefits will require more than training participants.
Businesses must be willing to hire or contract workers, and graduates must have the technical competence, communication skills and reliability required to perform their duties.
The Minister’s monitoring visit to the Ashanti Region was intended to assess the progress of the initiative and identify challenges affecting its implementation.
During the visit, he toured training centres and artificial intelligence laboratories at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), before proceeding to facilities at Kwadaso, Asawase and Nkwantakese.
He also interacted with beneficiaries, listened to concerns raised during the engagements and assured participants that the issues would be addressed.
The visits provided an opportunity for the Ministry to evaluate how the programme is operating at the local level. Regular monitoring can help identify gaps in equipment, training delivery and participant support, allowing officials to make adjustments where necessary.
The programme’s long-term success will depend partly on whether the courses remain aligned with the changing needs of employers.
Technology industries evolve rapidly, meaning training in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, data analytics, cloud computing and artificial intelligence must provide practical knowledge that can be applied in real working environments.
Partnerships with businesses and technology organisations could help bridge the gap between training and employment by providing mentorship, internships, work placements and access to actual projects. Editorial Standards
The government will also need clear methods for measuring the 100,000-job target. Distinguishing between people who complete training, those who obtain paid assignments and those who secure sustained employment will be important in assessing the programme’s real impact.
Ultimately, the shift towards employment places a practical test before the One Million Coders Programme.
Its success will not be measured only by the number of Ghanaians trained, but also by how effectively participants use their skills to earn incomes, build careers and contribute to the economy.
As the government works towards its target, connecting skilled workers with genuine market demand will be essential to turning its digital ambitions into meaningful employment opportunities for Ghanaians.