The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has held discussions with Ericsson on measures to strengthen Ghana’s digital infrastructure, improve network resilience and expand digital skills development.
A key focus of the engagement was the protection of fibre-optic infrastructure during road construction, with the Minister calling for closer coordination to reduce avoidable fibre cuts.
He said minimising damage to fibre infrastructure would help conserve resources that could instead be redirected towards extending connectivity to underserved communities.
The discussions also covered Ghana’s ambition to become a leading technology hub in Africa, including opportunities for Ericsson to support the One Million Coders Programme.
Particular attention was given to creating pathways for beneficiaries of the programme to transition from training into sustainable careers in the technology sector.
The Minister and Ericsson leadership also explored ways to strengthen network resilience for digital financial services, particularly cross-border payment systems.
They discussed the potential for offline capabilities that could allow essential digital services to remain operational during network disruptions.
Another issue raised was Ghana’s proposed advocacy at the upcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference in Doha for stronger international protection of civilian telecommunications infrastructure.
The proposal is expected to focus particularly on critical connectivity infrastructure supporting essential services, including hospitals.
The engagement comes as Ericsson marks 30 years of operations and partnership in the region.