The third edition of Ghana Digital Innovation Week (GDIW), scheduled to take place from 6th – 8th November 2023, has commenced in Accra.
The objective of this year’s event, themed ‘Innovate, collaborate, elevate: shaping a future of endless potential’, is to first of all identify a common national vision that drives Ghana’s digital innovation agenda; generate wide interest; and promote concrete action.
It also aims to celebrate and showcase the initiatives and accomplishments of Ghana’s digital innovation ecosystem players, in addition to mobilising diverse digital innovation ecosystem stakeholders toward more collaborative and inclusive ecosystem development.
The three-day event for this year’s edition will be attended by over 2,000 participants, including 50 exhibitions from Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda, Germany and Iraq.
Prior to the national event, which is currently taking place, regional event called the ‘Road to GDIW’ took place in the Eastern, Northern and Ashanti Regions.
The ‘Road to GDIW’ sought to gather regional stakeholders, traditional leaders, digital innovators, students focused on diverse, innovative action in exploring how to grow the regional ecosystem for digital innovation.
GDIW is a trilateral partnership between Ghana, Germany and Israel, to celebrate the accomplishment of Ghana’s Digital Innovation Ecosystem while building momentum toward a common vision for its future development.
Head of Cooperation-German Embassy, Ramona Simone, said Ghana’s Ecosystem stands at the forefront of technological advancement and digital transformation in Africa.
“With notable prosperity in digital governance, infrastructure and finance, the country is actively leveraging technology to drive inclusive economic growth, enhance efficiency in service delivery and establish itself as a leading player in the global digital landscape,” she emphasised.
Ms. Simone highlighted that the nexus between digitalisation and economic development currently is undeniable, therefore embracing cutting-edge technologies and harnessing the power of data-driven solutions is not merely a choice but a necessity for nations aspiring to thrive in the 21st century.
She listed various interventions that the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development is providing in support of Ghana’s quest to take advantage of digitalisation and expand the country’s socio-economic development. These include support to women-led micro enterprises, start-ups within the technological space; bridging the technological gap between urban and rural areas; improving digital trade among SMEs; and supporting government on digital policies.
Chief Director-Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Patrick Nomo, indicated that these digital and frontier technologies are disrupting old jobs and creating new ones – causing a high level of pessimism, especially in developing countries. “The increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and robots, for instance, have fuelled job insecurities.”
Speaking on the event’s theme, Deputy Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ama Pomaa Boateng, explained that it embodies the spirit and essence of a collective journey toward a future where endless possibilities await.
