One Million Coders Programme to train 300,000 Ghanaians this year

President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that 300,000 Ghanaians are expected to receive training this year under the government’s One Million Coders Programme, aimed at strengthening digital and artificial intelligence skills nationwide.

He made the announcement on Friday, April 24, during the launch of Ghana’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in Accra, describing the initiative as a major step in preparing the country’s workforce for the future.

The President explained that a pilot phase carried out last year enabled the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation to evaluate the programme ahead of its nationwide expansion.

“The pilot phase of the One Million Coders Programme conducted last year enabled the ministry to assess readiness for nationwide rollout. The portal is now open, and more than 100,000 applications have already been processed,” he said.

He noted that participants can currently choose from over 15 courses spanning 10 disciplines, with training centres situated within reach of local communities.

“This year alone the Ministry aims to train 300,000 Ghanaians as the programme continues to expand. These are more than numbers, they represent opportunities, employability and national preparedness,” he added.

Mahama stressed that investing in people is at the heart of Ghana’s AI agenda, underscoring the need to build human capacity to fully harness emerging technologies.

“Youthful potential must be matched by structured opportunity and that is why education and workforce development are among the core pillars of this strategy. We must equip our people not only to use AI tools but also to build, govern, improve and apply them to solve our national problems,” he stated.

He further explained that the One Million Coders Programme is intended to equip young people with practical digital and AI expertise on a large scale, while encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to him, the initiative will help develop a strong pool of skilled talent and enhance Ghana’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.