Ghana is taking bold steps to turn innovation into economic opportunity with the introduction of the Ghana Innovation and Start-Up Bill, a game-changing policy aimed at fostering a thriving ecosystem for research commercialization and entrepreneurship.
Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Mr Samuel Nartey George, announced the initiative at the Africa Research and Innovation Commercialisation Summit (ARICS) 2025, pledging that the government is committed to transforming Ghana into a hub for technology-driven trade and industrial growth.
He stressed that while Africa is brimming with groundbreaking ideas, many fail to reach commercial success due to weak support structures. “Innovation is the cornerstone of economic growth, and Ghana is committed to ensuring that research moves from labs to markets, creating jobs, empowering youth, and driving Africa’s transformation,” he stated.
Speaking on the sub-theme, ‘Ghana’s Vision for Innovation – Pioneering Collaborative Ecosystems for Co-Creation and Trade Across Africa,’ Mr. George outlined Ghana’s strategic approach to transforming research into economic opportunities. He noted that while the country is rich in creativity and ingenuity—evident in innovations by teachers, farmers, and artisans—many of these remain underdeveloped due to weak support systems.
“To change this narrative, Ghana is taking decisive steps to ensure that innovation translates into market success. The Ghana Innovation and Start-Up Bill, once passed by Parliament, will establish the Ghana Innovation and Start-Up Agency, which will regulate innovation activities and provide structured incentives for start-ups. This will create an enabling environment for technological advancements to thrive and for Ghana to become a regional leader in innovation-driven trade,” he stated.
The minister also highlighted additional measures aimed at bolstering Ghana’s innovation landscape. He underscored the 24-Hour Economy Policy as a flagship initiative designed to enhance productivity, generate employment, and establish Ghana as a global innovation hub operating around the clock.
Furthermore, Mr. George announced the One Million Coders Programme, which aims to train one million young Ghanaians in digital skills, including software engineering, web development, blockchain, AI, and IoT. This initiative, complemented by regional digital innovation centers and ICT parks, will position Ghana as a major player in Africa’s digital economy.
Additionally, the government is set to roll out the National Apprenticeship Programme, offering free technical and vocational training, certification, and startup capital to aspiring entrepreneurs. The forthcoming Innovation and Start-Up Fund, established under the new Act, will provide financial support to research-driven ideas, particularly those led by women and youth.
The Chief Executive Officer of Heritors Labs, Derrydean Dadzie, echoed the minister’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for Africa to commercialize its research and innovation rather than relying on external solutions. Speaking at the summit’s opening, Mr. Dadzie underscored the urgent need to bridge the gap between research and industry uptake.
He highlighted the stark contrast in innovation investments, noting that Africa allocates just 0.5% of its GDP to research and development, compared to the global average of 2.2%. “We sit on 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, possess rare minerals essential to global industries, and have a population of 1.4 billion brilliant minds. Yet, we export our problems and import solutions,” he stated.
Drawing from personal experience navigating Ghana’s healthcare system during his daughter’s leukemia diagnosis, Mr. Dadzie stressed the need for a stronger research-commercialization pipeline. He pointed to the seamless collaboration among research labs, academia, and industry in developed economies as a model Ghana and Africa must adopt.
To address these gaps, he announced Heritors Labs’ collaboration with partners to establish the UK-Africa Innovation Trust Corridor, a platform designed to mobilize resources, facilitate cross-border research, and promote trade in innovations. “Africa must now taste the pudding by eating it. Our industries must consume the outcomes of our own research and innovation,” he urged.
The ARICS 2025 summit, supported by the RISA Fund and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, convened key stakeholders, including Ghana’s Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Trade & Industry, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, among others. The discussions reinforced the imperative for Africa to take ownership of its innovation ecosystem, translating groundbreaking ideas into tangible economic benefits.
