Ghana, through the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, has begun the procurement process for major digitization of national archives, advancing a broader government strategy to modernize public services and expand digital infrastructure under a World Bank-supported programme.
The open bids for the digital transformation of the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD) is a project expected to overhaul the management and preservation of millions of government records and archival materials.
The initiative, being implemented through the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project (GDAP), is designed to replace manual and paper-based records systems with digital platforms that improve storage, retrieval, and long-term preservation of public documents.
Officials said the project will strengthen access to records across state institutions while reducing the risk of deterioration, loss, and administrative inefficiencies associated with physical archives.
This adds to a wider digitalization agenda, which has become a central pillar of efforts to improve public sector productivity, transparency, and accountability. Authorities expect the project to support faster decision-making within government agencies by making historical and administrative records more accessible and searchable.
The archives modernization effort is being funded under GDAP, a flagship programme backed by the World Bank to expand digital access, strengthen digital public infrastructure, and improve service delivery through technology.
The project also aims to preserve Ghana’s documentary heritage for future generations while making archival materials more readily available to researchers, institutions, and the public.
The opening of bids marks the start of the procurement phase, with the government expected to select a technology provider to execute the transformation project.
The archives initiative follows a series of digital government projects aimed at reducing reliance on manual processes and building a more technology-driven public administration system as Ghana seeks to accelerate its digital economy ambitions.