The
Chief Executive Officer of Kwame AI, Dr. George Jojo Boateng, has raised concerns over the
Government of Ghana’s decision to engage a foreign company, Playlab AI, to develop artificial intelligence
(AI) applications for teachers across the country under the Ministry of
Education’s new digital learning initiative.
In
a post on LinkedIn, Dr. Boateng—an AI researcher, lecturer at ETH Zurich, and
Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree—questioned the transparency of the procurement
process and the exclusion of Ghanaian AI and EdTech companies from the project.
He described the move as a missed opportunity to empower local talent and
strengthen the country’s growing AI ecosystem.
Dr.
Boateng noted that the nationwide rollout of AI tools in Ghana’s educational
system represents a significant milestone that should have showcased homegrown
innovation. He expressed disappointment that such a historic initiative was
outsourced, arguing that Ghana has capable AI experts and developers who could
have delivered similar or even superior solutions.
“Are
they saying we aren’t capable of building simple AI apps like this ourselves?”
he asked, stressing that initiatives aimed at training local coders and AI
engineers lose credibility when government projects continue to bypass domestic
expertise.
He
added that no country achieves true technological advancement by neglecting its
own innovators, warning that Ghana risks stifling local capacity if such
practices persist.
The
comments have sparked renewed debate within Ghana’s tech and education sectors
about the need for more transparent procurement processes and stronger
collaboration between government institutions and local technology companies.
By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
