According to President John Dramani Mahama, 90,000 people have applied for the One Million Coders Program in just 48 hours after it opened, indicating the tremendous need among Ghanaian youth for digital skills.
President Mahama declared during the program’s formal introduction in Accra that it would use a decentralised strategy, guaranteeing that training would be accessible throughout the nation, from big cities to isolated communities.
“The first cohort of 560 trainees launching today in Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, and Bolgatanga reflects our commitment to gender balance and regional inclusivity,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of including marginalised groups that are sometimes overlooked, like those with impairments.
President Mahama underlined that the program’s reaction shows how vital it is to give young people possibilities.
“This overwhelming response highlights the hunger for opportunity and the importance of this initiative,” he stated. In order to further expand the initiative, he described plans to construct community training centres in all districts, municipalities, and metropolitan areas.
He also talked about the digital infrastructure required to support the program, including the provision of learning platforms and devices as well as the growth of broadband.
“Every layer of this initiative has been designed for skill and sustainability,” he said. “We must not undervalue the significance of this for our nation. We are shifting the national narrative away from one of constraints and towards one of boundless possibilities.
Sam George, the minister of communications, also discussed the significance of digital training in filling the skills gap in Sub-Saharan Africa, where almost 60% of youth lack even the most basic digital abilities.
“This gap isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a barrier to progress, and we must break it down,” he stated. The goal of the One Million Coders Program is to offer thorough instruction in digital skills and coding, starting in four places and eventually expanding across the country.
The program’s training and content development, which includes a structured curriculum for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students, are being led by the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT. Certifications in network support, cybersecurity, data protection, and data analysis are among the courses offered.
“We initially planned to pilot with 260 students, but within four hours of the announcement, we had over 4,000 applications, so we expanded the pilot to 520 students,” Sam George said. More than 91,000 applications had been received as of the most recent update.
The program is a calculated investment in Ghana’s youth, giving them the digital skills that employers are looking for in the digital economy.
The digital economy is predicted to provide millions of new jobs throughout Africa by 2030, offering a substantial potential for the continent’s youth, despite a 12% youth unemployment rate.
