One Million Coders: Coordinator engages stakeholders ahead of rollout

The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) and national coordinator of the One Million Coders programme, Mohammed Abdul-Aziz, has begun high-level stakeholder engagements ahead of the nationwide rollout of the transformational digital skills training initiative.

The One Million Coders Programme is an ambitious national initiative aimed at equipping one million Ghanaians with coding and digital skills to drive innovation, job creation, and economic transformation.

As part of these engagements, he led a delegation from GI-KACE on a courtesy visit to the University of Ghana on Thursday to assess the institution’s readiness to serve as a strategic training hub for the programme.

The delegation was received by Prof. Olivia A.T. Frimpong Kwapong, Dean of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, who conducted the team through the University’s e-learning facilities, including the Assistive Technology Lab — a dedicated space supporting inclusive education for persons with disabilities.

In discussions with the University’s leadership, Mr Abdul-Aziz underscored the urgency of the national rollout and stressed the need for strong institutional partnerships to fulfil the President’s vision.

He said efforts were underway to demarcate training centres across the country to ensure nationwide access.

“We hope to achieve significant visibility by the end of the first quarter as we work to demarcate training centres based on proximity, ensuring access for all Ghanaian youth. We are aiming to kick-start this first-class training in the first quarter of 2026,” he stated.

During an unexpected interaction with students in an ongoing class session, he encouraged them to take full advantage of the programme, describing it as a free, life-changing opportunity offering globally recognised certification and future-proof skills.

Prof. Frimpong Kwapong reaffirmed the University of Ghana’s commitment to the initiative, noting that it aligns with the institution’s mission to advance national development through lifelong learning.

She said the Vice Chancellor had pledged full support, adding that the University’s 11 learning centres across the country provide a strong platform for large-scale programme delivery. The Provost of the College of Education, Prof. Samuel Codjoe, who represented the Vice Chancellor, also assured that the University is ready to offer all necessary support.

Following the University of Ghana engagement, Mr. Abdul-Aziz and his delegation paid a courtesy call on the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) to discuss strategic collaboration.

The CEO of NEIP, Eric Adjei, pledged his outfit’s support and highlighted synergies between the One Million Coders initiative and NEIP’s youth employment programme, Adwumawura.

He said NEIP stands ready to assist with outreach, mobilisation, and innovation support.

The GI-KACE delegation included Kobi Hemaa Osisiadan-Bekoe, Director of Corporate Affairs; Fredrick Yeboah, Director of Innovation; and Priscilla Hope, Project Manager.

Appointed by President John Dramani Mahama to coordinate the One Million Coders programme, Abdul-Aziz is leading an ambitious national vision to equip one million Ghanaians with future-ready digital and coding skills.

The initiative targets students, professionals, and digital beginners, with international partners such as Google, MTN, and Telecel expected to support the programme with certification and digital infrastructure.

With stakeholder engagements underway, the nationwide rollout is gaining momentum, with training hubs expected to be announced in the coming months ahead of an anticipated early 2026 start.