Government has welcomed the new strategic partnership between MTN Ghana and the University of Ghana as a major step towards strengthening digital skills, youth employability and industry–academia collaboration.
Signed at the MTN Ghana Head Office in Accra, the partnership will create opportunities for internships, National Service placements, industry engagement, AI and digital-skills development, joint research and innovation.
It also marks the launch of the 2026 Tɛkyerɛma Pa Hackathon, challenging young innovators to develop accessible digital solutions that support Ghanaian languages and persons with disabilities.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Minister Hon. Dr Clement Abas Apaak reaffirmed Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for partnerships that connect education, industry and national development.
Here are five key ways the Government is supporting the initiative:
1. Providing strong institutional endorsement
The Ministry of Education has formally endorsed the partnership and its objectives. According to the Deputy Minister, the collaboration supports the Government’s efforts to strengthen STEM education, improve youth employability and prepare Ghanaian students for an increasingly technology-driven economy.
This endorsement gives the initiative important institutional backing and positions it as part of the country’s broader education transformation agenda.
2. Creating an enabling environment for industry–academia partnerships
Government has committed to encouraging policies that make it easier for private companies to invest in universities and collaborate with academic institutions.
The Ministry believes these partnerships can help universities move beyond theoretical instruction by giving students access to real industry problems, practical tools and professional environments.
3. Promoting applied digital and AI skills in education
The MTN Ghana–University of Ghana partnership aligns with the Government’s push to strengthen applied STEM capabilities across the education system.
Through digital-skills development, industry engagement and the Tɛkyerɛma Pa Hackathon, students will be encouraged to apply software engineering, artificial intelligence and data science to real challenges affecting Ghanaian communities.
4. Supporting stronger pathways from education to employment
The partnership will recognise high-performing Computer Science students and connect academic excellence with practical opportunities, including professional tools, National Service placements and potential roles within Ghana’s technology sector.
Government sees this as an important step towards closing the gap between what students learn and the skills employers require.
5. Encouraging the model to be expanded
The Ministry of Education is encouraging other companies and academic institutions to develop similar partnerships.
By supporting the MTN Ghana–University of Ghana model, Government hopes to promote greater corporate investment in education, strengthen Ghana’s innovation ecosystem and create more opportunities for young people to build businesses, products and technologies.
The Deputy Minister challenged students and young innovators to make full use of the opportunities being created.
“The tools, devices and platforms provided here are catalysts,” he said, urging beneficiaries to develop applications, algorithms and enterprises capable of solving national problems.
Ultimately, Government’s support goes beyond endorsing the signing of the agreement. The bigger objective is to create stronger connections between education, industry, innovation and employment—and equip more young Ghanaians to participate meaningfully in the global digital economy.
