Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced plans to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) tools for major Ghanaian languages, including Twi, Ewe Dagbani and Hausa as part of efforts to improve access to quality education and digital services.
The announcement was made in a Facebook post on Friday, January 23, 2026, following his participation in the ongoing Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom.
According to Mr. Iddrisu, the initiative follows a high-level engagement with Google during the summit, where discussions focused on leveraging AI to enhance education in Ghana and across Africa.
“Yesterday, I had a fruitful engagement with the Vice President of Google in the ongoing Generative AI summit in the United Kingdom, where ideas were shared to improve quality Education in Ghana and Africa as a whole,” he stated.
He revealed that the collaboration builds on Google’s broader investment in Africa’s digital ecosystem.
In July 2025, Google announced a US$37 million investment in AI research and digital skills development across the continent, including the establishment of a new AI Community Center in Accra.
“This forms part of Google’s broader US$1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital transformation and firmly positions Ghana as a key hub in this journey,” Mr. Iddrisu noted.
The Education Minister disclosed that Google is currently working with the University of Ghana and the GDI Hub to develop speech recognition systems and AI tools tailored to Ghanaian languages.
“Google is working closely with the University of Ghana and GDI Hub to advance speech recognition and AI tools for Ghanaian languages, including Twi, Ewe, and Dagbani, with a strong focus on non-standard speech to improve accessibility in education and digital services,” he said.
Mr. Iddrisu added that he has pushed for the inclusion of Hausa, a language widely spoken across Ghana and West Africa, to broaden regional participation and impact.
“During our engagement, I emphasised the importance of including Hausa, a language spoken widely across Ghana and West Africa. Integrating Hausa will deepen regional inclusion and further strengthen Ghana’s leadership as an AI innovation hub on the continent,” he explained.
He further announced that Google has given assurances that its education tools will be deployed in Ghana at no cost to users, a move aimed at ensuring equity in access.
“I am also pleased to share that I received firm assurance from Google’s Director of Operations for Africa and the Gemini lead that Google’s education tools will be deployed in Ghana on a zero-rated basis. This includes curriculum-aligned content and resources on the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning, ensuring access for all learners regardless of location or income,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
Reaffirming Ghana’s ambition in the global AI space, the Education Minister concluded that the country is taking an active leadership role in shaping Africa’s digital future.
“Ghana is not just participating in the AI revolution, we are helping to shape it for Africa,” he added.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
