Ghana, Zambia deepen tech ties as high-level delegation visits Ghana

Ghana has taken a major step toward strengthening its technological and economic partnership with Zambia, as a high-level delegation led by Felix Mutati visits Accra for a two-day strategic engagement focused on innovation, collaboration, and investment.

The visit underscores growing bilateral relations between the two African nations, with both governments signalling a shared commitment to leveraging technology as a key driver of economic transformation and sustainable development.

The Zambian delegation, comprising government officials and 16 business representatives from Lusaka, is participating in a series of high-level meetings, roundtable discussions, and networking sessions. These engagements are designed not only to exchange ideas but also to translate dialogue into concrete partnerships and investment deals.

Hosting the delegation, Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, expressed strong optimism about the potential outcomes of the visit.

He described the moment as “exciting” for Ghana, noting that the engagements in Accra build on earlier interactions held in Lusaka. According to him, the 48-hour schedule is packed with intensive deliberations, learning sessions, and partnership-building activities.

Mr George added that the structure of the meetings is intentionally designed to maximise impact, with multiple sessions running simultaneously across different thematic areas to accelerate collaboration and results.

A key theme of the engagement is mutual learning and knowledge exchange. Mr George emphasised that both Ghana and Zambia have unique experiences in digital transformation and innovation, and that sharing these insights will help strengthen their respective technology ecosystems.

He also revealed that while the official visit will conclude with the departure of Minister Mutati, some members of the Zambian delegation are expected to remain in Accra to finalise business agreements and partnerships initiated during the visit.

The overarching goal, he said, is to build long-term alliances that will deliver measurable economic and technological benefits to both countries.

On his part, Felix Mutati highlighted the central role of technology in Zambia’s economy, noting that the sector contributes approximately 50 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He stressed that deeper collaboration with Ghana could accelerate innovation and support the development of locally driven solutions to shared African challenges, including digital infrastructure gaps, financial inclusion, and industrial growth.

Mr Mutati used the platform to advocate for a shift in mindset across the continent, urging African nations to transition from being consumers of foreign technologies to becoming creators and exporters of innovation.

He emphasised the importance of:

• Strengthening intra-African collaboration
• Promoting knowledge and skills exchange
• Encouraging practical application of emerging technologies

Highlighting the transformative power of innovation, he cited an example of a start-up using artificial intelligence to identify what he described as the largest copper deposit discovered in a century, illustrating how technology can unlock new economic opportunities.

He encouraged stakeholders to pursue bold, high-impact solutions rather than incremental improvements, challenging participants to think beyond conventional approaches.

The two-day engagement is expected to yield outcomes in three key areas:

• Knowledge sharing and policy alignment
• Strategic partnerships between businesses and institutions
• Investment opportunities within the technology sector

Analysts believe the collaboration could serve as a model for intra-African digital cooperation, reinforcing the role of technology in driving economic integration and innovation across the continent.