By: Jacob Aggrey
The 12th edition of Tech in Ghana, a prominent UK-Ghana platform dedicated to strengthening and showcasing Ghana’s thriving tech ecosystem both locally and to the world has ended in Accra.
Organised twice annually in Ghana and London, Tech in Ghana provides a valuable avenue for its burgeoning tech industry to come together, engage in global knowledge exchange, network with industry peers, and showcase innovation.
Since launching in 2017, it has garnered the active involvement of several multinational corporations, decision-makers, investors, fast-growing scale-ups, and founders from the region.
The conference boasted an impressive lineup of speakers, including representatives from the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, International Trade Centre, Farmerline, British High Commission Accra, US Embassy, Telecel Group, Taptap Send, MTN, GSMA, ECG, Tony Blair Institute, Yellowcard, Blu Penguin, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, Konzoom, Kola Market, Cointelegraph, Menufinder Africa, Pulse, Google Developers Group, Nubian VR, and many more.
Topics covered included FinTech, AgriTech, HealthTech, ClimateTech, Gig Economy, Gaming, Policy, Investment, Entertainment, EdTech, and many more.
United States (U.S) Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Virginia Palmer delivering a speech said digital innovation played a pivotal role in improving Ghana’s fiscal governance and its recovery.
According to the Ambassador, Ghana’s recent digitalization drive helped to create a cashless system reducing corruption and revenue leakages across all sectors of the economy.
She said this on the first day of the 12th edition of Tech in Ghana held at the Accra Digital Centre.
“The Electricity Company of Ghana’s digitalization drive is helping to create a cashless payment reducing revenue leakages- theft. In March, ECG announced that it increased its monthly revenue by 25% as a result of a huge boom in Ghana’s Economy” she stated.
She revealed that the U.S was preparing to partner with Ghana to support the development of its digital economy and infrastructure citing “the ability to harness technology will remain a key driver for individual, business and societal transformation for years to come”.
She commended the Ghanaian government for establishing itself as a hub in Africa for artificial intelligence (AI) and Fintech.
Speaking at the 2023 Tech in Ghana conference under theme: “Collaboration, Community and Capital, Amber Palmer entreated local tech entrepreneurs to be timely with their service delivery in areas such as competition of arrears payment, which are critical to ensuring Ghana continues to attract the next wave of investment and reinvestment.
Communications expert and Founder of tech in Ghana Akosua Annobil addressing the presser mentioned that the theme of the conference: “Collaboration, Community and Capital” was in the right direction as forging relationships and alliances was the bedrock of every successful business.
She added that her outfit was interested in providing the ecosystem with the space to have meaningful discussions that would evolve the tech industry both on a local and a global spectrum.
She underscored the importance of creating an enabling environment for tech to thrive applauding government efforts with an emphasis on Bank of Ghana’s sand box initiative and ECG’s cashless system.
She said as long as there is the willingness to share, learn and create relationships, tech has a huge potential in Ghana.
Before the event, a media launch was organized at the residence of the British High Commission to publicize the event to the public eye.
The Deputy British High Commissioner in Ghana, Keith McMahon in a media interview mentioned that if Ghana’s tech ecosystem continues to grow at a steady rate, it would see a lot of foreign investment and would become a powerful tech powerhouse in Africa.
He said the Ghanaian government saw the potential of technology and was making significant strides to embrace it by creating space and legislation to make the practice a fluid one for many businesses and start-ups in the country.
He called on the government to create an enabling environment where tech activities and investments can thrive steadily.
Speaking at the media, the Executive Deputy of the Board of Directors at Telecel Group, Eleanor Azar said her team is on board for the tech event because of Ghana’s abundance of tech talent and is with the hope of connecting and giving more opportunities to startups in the country.
Head of Department at Blue Crest University College, Vivekananth Padmanabhan at the launch underscored the relevance of technology in the mining sector.
He said Accra was positioned to leverage robotics technology for advancement.
Mr Vivekananth said the competition would serve as a learning curve by providing opportunities to students who want to venture into robotics.
He said the conference would serve as a learning platform and showcase Ghana’s tech space to the world.
Students and representatives from the African Science Academy, Blue Crest University College and the University of Energy and Natural Resources delivered presentations demonstrating the vibrant pool of young talents emerging from Ghana’s educational institutions.
The biggest highlight of the conference was the Kumasi Takeover which showcased founders and start-ups of tech companies from the Ashanti region including Dext Technology, Incas Diagnostics, DefcanTalk and Farmerline.
Tech in Ghana empowers the country’s entrepreneurs to make a significant impact on the global tech stage, whilst receiving the crucial support and recognition it deserves along the way.
