Ghana’s Samuel George takes charge of AU ICT committee as Africa pushes for a more integrated digital economy

Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has been appointed chair of the African Union ICT committee, placing him at the centre of continental discussions on digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence governance and cross-border technology policy.

George was confirmed during the sixth Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Communication and ICT (AU STC-ICT), held in Libreville, Gabon. He will serve a two-year term focused on strengthening collaboration among AU member states and advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda.

His appointment comes as African governments pursue a more integrated digital economy, with policy coordination, telecommunications infrastructure, data governance and digital trade forming important parts of the continental agenda. The committee brings together ministers responsible for communications and information technology, giving George a platform to coordinate discussions on shared priorities and support the implementation of decisions made through the African Union.

The new leadership also includes Kenya, which secured the First Vice-Chair position in the committee’s Bureau. The appointments give Ghana and Kenya prominent roles in a continental policy structure whose work touches telecommunications, digital services, cybersecurity and the development of common technology standards.

Ghana’s Samuel Nartey George takes over AU ICT leadership

George assumes the chairmanship at a time when the African Union is reviewing progress under its Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa 2020–2030. The strategy provides a continental framework for expanding connectivity, developing digital skills, strengthening digital infrastructure and supporting the growth of digital services across member states.

The sixth Ordinary Session in Libreville brought these priorities together, with discussions covering artificial intelligence, data governance, cybersecurity, digital identity, digital trade and investment in regional infrastructure. Ministers also considered how African countries could coordinate their positions on international technology policy, particularly as AI regulation and cross-border data flows become important areas of economic and diplomatic engagement.

George has called for the committee to measure its performance through tangible results and implementation rather than declarations. He identified connectivity, data governance, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence as priorities requiring closer cooperation among African governments.

That emphasis reflects a challenge running through several continental technology initiatives. African countries have adopted declarations and strategies covering telecommunications sovereignty, digital inclusion and AI governance, but translating common objectives into national programmes requires funding, regulatory capacity and cooperation between governments.

Africa’s single digital market ambitions require regional coordination

One of the major ambitions behind the African Union’s digital agenda is the development of a Single African Digital Market, which would make it easier for businesses and consumers to access digital services and conduct transactions across national borders. The initiative is connected to the African Continental Free Trade Area and its efforts to expand trade between African economies.

The African Union Commission has identified interoperable digital identity systems, cross-border payment capabilities, compatible electronic transaction frameworks and harmonised data governance arrangements as important foundations for this market. These systems would help businesses provide services across multiple countries without having to navigate completely disconnected digital environments.

For African fintech companies, the implications are significant. A business operating in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria, for example, must contend with different payment systems, identity requirements, data protection rules and regulatory approval processes. Better coordination could reduce some of these barriers, making it easier for financial technology companies, e-commerce platforms and other digital businesses to expand regionally.

TechTrendsKE’s reporting on Kenya’s digital trade ambitions has highlighted the relationship between mobile money, e-commerce, banking and cross-border transactions. Its coverage of payment interoperability has also examined how fragmented payment networks, currency conversion requirements and settlement delays affect businesses trading across African markets.

The infrastructure supporting these transactions is equally important. The African Union Commission has called for greater investment in cross-border fibre networks, regional data centres, internet exchange points and cloud infrastructure, alongside closer coordination between digital infrastructure and energy planning.

Kenya’s national fibre backbone procurement and regional connectivity investments illustrate the infrastructure requirements behind these ambitions. Nairobi’s data-centre market also gives the country an important position in discussions about regional cloud services, interconnection and computing capacity.

AI governance and digital sovereignty enter the committee’s priorities

Artificial intelligence is another major area of responsibility for the new AU ICT leadership. African governments are working to establish approaches to AI development, investment and regulation while seeking greater participation in international discussions about the technology.

The African Union has already developed a Continental Strategy on Artificial Intelligence, providing a framework for cooperation on research, innovation, skills and responsible AI development. Discussions during the Libreville session included an AI strategy action plan, an investment and financing plan, and guidelines for AI governance and regulation.

George has advocated for AI developed for Africa by Africans, reflecting the need for locally relevant applications, research capacity and stronger African participation in global technology discussions. He has also argued that African countries should negotiate collectively, drawing on the continent’s combined market of nearly 1.5 billion people rather than approaching international digital policy discussions as 55 separate markets.

The Africa AI Governance Index, covered by TechTrendsKE in July 2026, provides context for this challenge. The assessment examined 54 African countries across 80 indicators, including national strategies, legislation, infrastructure, skills and institutional capacity. Its findings highlighted the gap between governments developing AI policies and the resources, regulatory institutions and implementation mechanisms needed to put those frameworks into practice.

Digital sovereignty also extends beyond the development of AI models. African governments need control over the data, infrastructure and systems supporting digital services, including the platforms used to store, process and exchange information.

TechTrendsKE’s reporting on sovereign cloud infrastructure and Kenya’s proposed rules for organisations using offshore AI services has examined these issues from both infrastructure and regulatory perspectives. Digital identity and interoperable government data systems are also part of the discussion, as public institutions seek to connect services while maintaining appropriate controls over personal information.

The committee’s work on data governance and AI regulation therefore has implications for governments, technology companies, financial institutions and cloud providers operating across the continent.

Cybersecurity and infrastructure financing shape Africa’s digital agenda

The expansion of digital infrastructure and cross-border services also increases the importance of cybersecurity cooperation. Financial institutions, telecommunications operators, government agencies and digital platforms depend on networks that increasingly connect multiple countries, making security a shared regional concern.

A recent example of continental cooperation came on November 2, when Smart Africa and the e-Crime Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding in Accra, Ghana. The partnership covers cybersecurity skills development, institutional coordination, critical infrastructure protection and the harmonisation of legal and policy frameworks.

TechTrendsKE’s October reporting on African ICT regulators also examined how AI, cybersecurity, data protection and digital platform regulation are converging. Regulators are being required to address technology issues that cross traditional sector boundaries, making cooperation between national institutions and regional organisations important.

Financing is another major requirement. The African Union Commission has called for dedicated financing facilities, blended finance, guarantees and public-private partnerships to accelerate digital infrastructure investment, particularly in underserved markets.

The investment requirements extend from fibre networks and data centres to cloud infrastructure, AI computing facilities and cybersecurity capabilities. Reliable electricity, technical expertise and affordable computing capacity will also influence how effectively African countries can develop and operate these systems.

TechTrendsKE’s reporting on the infrastructure requirements behind African AI development has highlighted the importance of access to computing resources and electricity. Its coverage of regional fibre investment and data-centre expansion has also examined the physical infrastructure needed to support digital services and commercial activity across borders.

The committee’s work brings these financing and infrastructure questions into the same continental policy discussions as AI governance, digital trade and cybersecurity.

Kenya secures a leadership position in the AU ICT committee

Kenya’s election as First Vice-Chair gives it a role in the new AU STC-ICT Bureau alongside Ghana, which will hold the chairmanship. Gabon secured the Third Vice-Chair position, while Lesotho was selected as Rapporteur. The Second Vice-Chair position was allocated to North Africa.

The appointment adds a continental dimension to Kenya’s existing participation in digital policy initiatives. In September 2026, Kenya signed the Digital Cooperation Organization Charter, joining a multilateral framework focused on cooperation in areas including AI, data governance and digital trade.

The country is also pursuing domestic digital infrastructure projects, including its national fibre backbone expansion, while its mobile money ecosystem gives it an established position in discussions about digital financial services and regional payment interoperability.

These interests connect directly to the priorities under consideration by the AU committee. Digital identity, cross-border data transfers, telecommunications infrastructure and digital trade all affect how Kenyan businesses and public institutions interact with other African markets.

Kenya’s participation in the Bureau also places it within the committee’s leadership structure as African governments consider common approaches to digital transformation. Its contribution could be particularly relevant to discussions involving East African connectivity, regional digital services and the development of interoperable systems.

George’s two-year chairmanship now places Ghana at the head of the ministerial platform responsible for coordinating these continental discussions. Alongside Kenya’s new leadership position, the committee will have a central role in advancing cooperation on the infrastructure, governance and digital services needed to connect African economies.