Ghana and UAE Partner to Build $1 Billion Tech Hub in Ningo-Prampram

Ghana has signed a major $1 billion agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to build a world-class technology and innovation hub in Ningo-Prampram, aimed at boosting the country’s digital future and creating new opportunities for young people.

The deal was officially signed in Accra on May 29, 2025, by Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, and the Chairman of the UAE’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem. The project will cover 25 square kilometres of land and is fully funded by the UAE, while Ghana is providing the space needed for the development.

This new hub, called the Ghana-UAE Innovations and Technology Hub, is expected to become a home for global tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, IBM, and Alphabet. More than 11,000 companies under PCFC’s network are likely to set up operations there, using Ghana as a base to serve the rest of Africa.

The hub will focus on cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence (AI), data science, cybersecurity, business outsourcing, and digital innovation, areas where young Ghanaians can gain skills and build careers. It also ties in with the government’s One Million Coders Programme, which aims to train a million youth in digital skills that are essential in today’s world.

Minister Samuel George, who also represents the people of Ningo-Prampram in Parliament, said the project is not just about buildings and investments, it’s about giving young Ghanaians the tools they need to succeed.

“This hub is where ideas and opportunities will meet,” he said. “It’s a place where the creativity of our youth can be turned into real impact. We want our young people to stop looking elsewhere for jobs and instead see those opportunities right here at home.”

He described the project as part of a bigger plan by President John Dramani Mahama to make technology and innovation a key part of Ghana’s growth story. “We’re not just trying to catch up with the rest of the world,” George added. “We want to be part of writing the future.”

On his part, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem of the PCFC explained why innovation is now the most valuable resource for any country. “Today, wealth is no longer just about gold or oil—it’s about who can come up with great ideas and make them work,” he said. “Look at Apple. They turned a simple idea into one of the most successful companies in the world.”

He also said that new technologies like AI and automation are changing the types of jobs available, not taking them away. “Jobs aren’t disappearing,” he said. “They’re changing. People are moving from doing manual work to managing smarter systems and working with customers in new ways.”

As more companies look to produce and ship goods closer to their customers, Ghana is in a strong position to become a key hub for manufacturing and distribution across West Africa.

In short, the Ghana-UAE Innovation Hub is expected to spark a new era of growth, create thousands of jobs, attract major international businesses, and help turn Ghana into a digital leader on the African continent.