Ghana is poised to deepen the use of indigenous languages in education and digital services, as Twi, Ewe, Dagbani and Hausa are set to be integrated into advanced artificial intelligence tools being developed in partnership with Google.
The announcement was made by Ghana’s Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on Thursday, 22nd January 2026, following a high-level engagement with Google officials at the ongoing Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom.
“Yesterday, I had a fruitful engagement with the Vice President of Google in the ongoing Generative AI summit in the United Kingdom, where ideas were shared to improve quality education in Ghana and Africa as a whole,” Mr Iddrisu wrote in a Facebook post.
The Education Minister disclosed that Google is collaborating with the University of Ghana and the GDI Hub to advance speech recognition technologies and AI tools for Ghanaian languages, including Twi, Ewe and Dagbani, with a particular focus on non-standard speech to improve accessibility in education and digital services.
The discussions build on Google’s announcement in July 2025 of a US$37 million investment in AI research and digital skills development across Africa, including the launch of a new AI Community Center in Accra.
“This initiative forms part of Google’s broader US$1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital transformation and positions Ghana as a strategic hub in the continent’s AI journey”
During the engagement, the Education Minister, emphasised the importance of including Hausa, widely spoken across Ghana and West Africa.
Expanding language inclusion to cover Hausa is expected to deepen regional integration and further strengthen Ghana’s leadership in AI innovation.
Additionally, assurances were received from Google’s Director of Operations for Africa and the Gemini lead that Google’s education tools will be deployed in Ghana on a zero-rated basis. The tools will include curriculum-aligned content and resources focused on the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning, ensuring equitable access for learners regardless of location or income level.
With these developments, Ghana continues to position itself not only as a participant in the global AI revolution but as an active contributor shaping its future for Africa.
By GBC
