|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Edward Graham Sebbie
The Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, says vulnerability of Africa information due to the absence of connectivity among member states continues to undermine Africa’s data security.
As the guest speaker at the opening of the Africa Internet Summit 2025, in Accra, Samuel Nartey George, says the need has come for Africa to connect itself to protect data of the continent.
The minister says “The current situation where Internet traffic from one African country takes detour through other continents before reaching another does not only raise cost, but also slows down services and weakens resilience”.
The vociferous minister raised issues about the uneven Internet across Ghana and Africa with rural and underserved communities experiencing limited connectivity, high cost and inadequate digital literacy, saying “This has excluded too many young African from opportunities simply because they lack reliable affordable access to the tool of digital age”. At the same time, Africa, he stressed remains vulnerable to issues of cyber insecurity, weak local infrastructure, manufacturing capability and dependency on external platforms and technologies. The above gaps he said, if not addressed “Risk entrenching inequality, slowing innovation and undermining the security and sovereignty of our economy”.
The aforementioned shortfalls he noted has prompted Ghana to be working assiduously with ECOWAS and AU to ensure that true Internet connectivity where Africa’s data remains in Africa is attained.
The Ningo-Prampram legislator mentioned the one million coders’ initiative, investing in universities and supportive policies for local innovators, Ghana is determined to train a generation which will design, code, secure and explore digital solutions. In furtherance of its commitment to affordable renewable energy, the John Dramani Mahama-led administration, according to the minister is through the Energy Commission collaborating with strategic partners such as independent power producers to deliver a reliable renewable energy to power data centres, base stations and innovative hubs.
Nii Narku Quainor, convenor of the Africa Technical Institution, organisers of the Africa Internet Summit, on his part reveal that Africa is working frantically to create it own AI.
He however debunked claims that greater part of the Internet space in Africa is used for criminal activities, adding that a chunk of the fraudsters come from outside Ghana or tye continent to undertake their activities.
Nii Narku Quainor, however called for more defensive mechanism in place including educating users to be able to detect Internet fraudsters and void them.
The Africa Internet Summit brought together experts and enthusiasts in the Internet and technological space to brainstorm on the essence to carry Africa along the growing technological revolution. This culminates in equipping the budding generation with technological skills even at the lower levels of education.
