With Ghana pushing to become a digital leader in West Africa through programmes like the One Million Coders programme, Israel’s Ambassador to Ghana says the real opportunity lies not in state-led efforts, but in private-sector innovation and partnerships.
In an interview with NorvanReports, Israeli Ambassador H.E. Mr. Roey Gilad praised Ghana’s digital ambition but stressed that long-term transformation will depend less on government initiatives and more on whether businesses in both countries find value in working together.
“We follow very closely the One Million Coders initiative launched by President Mahama,” he said. “It’s an ambitious and visionary programme that, if executed well, can position Ghana as a regional digital powerhouse. It’s something Israel did 20 years ago; we’ve walked that road.”
Mr. Gilad compared Ghana’s current phase to Israel’s own trajectory, one that saw the country evolve from a largely agricultural economy into one of the world’s most prominent high-tech hubs. At the core of that transformation, he said, was a pipeline of highly skilled talent coming out of the Israeli military, especially intelligence units like Unit 8200, which helped seed the country’s startup scene.
“Israel didn’t get here by accident. It started in the military, in intelligence units, and flowed into private innovation. It was not a top-down government miracle; it was a bottom-up, business-driven revolution,” he said.
For Ghana to replicate that model, he argued that the private sector must take the lead. While government-led initiatives like the One Million Coders can provide a foundation, the real driver of growth will be B2B linkages, not government-to-government agreements.
“Digital development is not about aid. It’s about alignment. Israel can open doors, but Ghana must walk through them,” he said.
He acknowledged that Israel, facing its own geopolitical and economic headwinds, is not positioned to offer sweeping support in the short term.
“Let me be clear, Israel is not a global superpower. We may be a regional one, but we don’t play in the league of the US or China. And with the current war, our resources and priorities have shifted. We could not make miracles before October 7th, let alone now.”
Despite those constraints, Israeli tech firms are already operating in Ghana, and interest is growing. According to Mr. Gilad, two Israeli companies are delivering digital solutions locally, and Ghanaian participation in Israeli cybersecurity forums is on the rise.
“The Ghanaian delegation that came to the cybersecurity summit in March was one of the largest in the world. Another is coming this June, and it includes some top officials,” he said.
Asked whether Israeli companies would consider deeper ties, such as joint ventures or research collaborations, he pointed to a possible opening: Ghana’s emerging pool of tech talent.
“There’s a shortage of coders in Israel. If Ghana proves its coding talent through initiatives like One Million Coders, there’s a real business case for Israeli companies to outsource or set up development partnerships here,” he said.
But challenges remain. Chief among them is logistics. With no direct flights between Tel Aviv and Accra, travel time can exceed 14 hours, a hurdle for business executives.
“It’s a 14-hour journey from Tel Aviv to Accra, and that’s without a direct flight. That’s a logistical challenge; businesspeople don’t like changing planes. Still, they do it for the US, so it’s not insurmountable,” he said.
For now, the Ambassador says Israel is prepared to act as a connector, but not a guarantor.
“We bring initiatives like One Million Coders to the attention of Israeli companies. But they have to see business value. Ghanaian startups, entrepreneurs, and government agencies must create that opportunity. We cannot force it,” he said.
Mr. Gilad also underscored that, unlike agriculture and development aid, technology partnerships must be led by the private sector.
“Cybersecurity is already a breakout sector for Ghana. More interest is coming than I expected. If the energy behind initiatives like One Million Coders is sustained, I truly believe Ghana can become a continental hub for digital innovation,” he said.
