Ghana champions Africa’s bid to shape the World’s digital rules

At a landmark ITU–ATU meeting in Accra, African leaders demanded a seat at the table of global technology governance — not just a chair in the audience

When delegates from across Africa gathered in Accra on Monday, they came with a message that was anything but bureaucratic: the continent is done sitting on the sidelines of global digital policymaking.

Hosted by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), a high-level joint meeting of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) brought together ministers, regulators, and industry leaders with a single unifying ambition to ensure that Africa helps write the rules of the digital age, rather than simply inheriting them.

“We must become rule-makers, not just rule-takers,” declared Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations in an address that set the tone for two days of strategic deliberation.

The warning was pointed: artificial intelligence, next-generation networks, and the Internet of Things are reshaping economies at speed, and the technical standards quietly governing these technologies are being written now with or without Africa’s input.

A Continent Finding Its Voice

The gathering, timed to coincide with the NCA’s 30th anniversary, was billed by its organisers as both symbolic and strategic. Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, Director-General of the NCA, welcomed delegates with a reminder of why such meetings matter: “Africa’s progress in the communications sector is best achieved through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and aligning positions in global processes.”

The optimism was not without evidence. Africa’s recent showing at the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly 2024 marked a genuine inflexion point. The continent submitted 37 proposals, of which 34 were adopted, and secured 29 leadership positions across ITU study groups, results that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. For many in the room, these numbers were proof that coordinated advocacy works.

The Connectivity Gap No One Can Ignore

Yet ambition at the conference table runs up against a stubborn reality on the ground. Data presented at the meeting painted a sobering picture of Africa’s digital divide: while 66 per cent of the population owns a mobile phone and 52 per cent have access to mobile broadband, fixed broadband, the backbone of high-speed, reliable connectivity, reaches only 15 per cent of the continent.

John Omo, Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union, was unequivocal about the stakes. “Standardisation is not merely a technical exercise — it is a strategic necessity tied directly to connectivity, affordability, and trust,” he told delegates.

He urged African nations to begin building strong regional positions now, within the current ITU study cycle, so that the continent can meaningfully influence global outcomes by 2028.

From Emergency Numbers to AI Governance

Among the more concrete proposals to emerge from the discussions was a push for a single, standardised emergency telephone number across Africa, compatible with international equivalents such as 112 and 911. Stakeholders argued that a unified emergency communications system is not a luxury; it is foundational infrastructure for public safety, cross-border mobility, and regional integration.

Beyond emergency services, the agenda ranged across some of the most consequential technology questions of the moment: how to govern artificial intelligence in a way that is safe and inclusive; how to protect the submarine cable infrastructure on which so much of Africa’s internet traffic depends; and how to build cybersecurity resilience at a continental scale.

Speakers stressed that any standards framework must remain flexible enough to accommodate both established players and new entrants, and technology-neutral enough not to entrench today’s incumbents at tomorrow’s expense.

Ghana Eyes a Bigger Role

For Ghana, the meeting was also an opportunity to press its own candidacy. Officials used the occasion to seek support for the country’s re-election to the ITU Council and to the Radio Regulations Board for the 2027–2030 term. Ghana highlighted its contributions to regional connectivity through the West African infrastructure programme and positioned itself as a reliable broker of broader African interests on the international stage.

Seizo Onoe of the ITU’s Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau offered an encouraging signal from the global body. “The world needs a trusted platform to work together, and Africa must play a central role in shaping that future,” he said, reaffirming the ITU’s commitment to inclusive standard-setting backed by industry collaboration and capacity-building.

Words Into Action

As the meeting concluded, the familiar challenge reasserted itself: turning high-minded consensus into durable commitments. The Accra gathering is expected to serve as the foundation for a unified African position heading into the 2028 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, the quadrennial assembly at which the organisation’s priorities, leadership, and rules of the road are formally set.

“Africa’s digital future will not happen by chance; it must be deliberately shaped,” the Minister said in closing remarks that doubled as a rallying call. Whether that deliberate shaping translates into lasting influence at Geneva and beyond will depend on whether the continent can sustain the momentum it showed here in Accra.

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