The Director-General of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), Ing. Dr. Collins Yeboah-Afari, has encouraged females to take up more professional roles in artificial intelligence (AI) to help close the gender gap in the global technology ecosystem.
He said this during the fourth edition of the Females in Tech (FEMITECH) Conference, an initiative aimed at empowering women and girls to pursue careers and leadership opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
In his welcome address, Dr. Yeboah-Afari highlighted the growing importance of artificial intelligence in shaping economies, industries, and societies, while noting that women remain underrepresented in the field.
According to him, statistics from the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report (2023) indicate that although women represent about 29 per cent of the global STEM workforce, they account for only about 22 per cent of professionals in artificial intelligence roles.
“This gap shows the urgent need to encourage more females to explore and pursue careers in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence,” he added.
Ing. Dr. Yeboah-Afari was optimistic that increasing female participation in AI and other advanced technology fields is essential for building inclusive and innovative digital economies capable of addressing complex global challenges.
He noted that technology is increasingly influencing key sectors, including governance, healthcare, financial services, education and national security, making it important for women to be actively involved in designing and developing these solutions.
Dr. Yeboah-Afari explained that the FEMITECH Conference was created to serve as a platform to inspire, mentor and support women interested in technology through knowledge-sharing, networking and collaboration.
“The FEMITECH Conference forms part of GI-KACE’s broader commitment to promoting digital skills development, innovation and inclusive participation in Ghana’s technology ecosystem,” he said.
He encouraged organisations and technology companies to intentionally mentor, recruit, and promote women into leadership and technical roles within their institutions.
He further urged young women and girls to build digital skills and take advantage of opportunities in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and software engineering.
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, in his keynote address at the fourth edition of the Females in Tech (FEMITECH) Conference, called for a structural reset of Ghana’s digital agenda, urging a shift from consumption to production as the country positions itself for economic sovereignty in the Intelligence Age.
Speaking at the event, which took place in the auditorium at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), Sam George described the conference theme, ‘Give to Gain’, as a reflection of the economic philosophy underpinning the current government’s approach to innovation.
“In this new era, value is multiplied while knowledge is shared and scaled. To gain and benefit from innovation, we must be strategic to orchestrate it,” he stated.
He emphasised that under President Mahama’s leadership, Ghana is undergoing a deliberate digital reset, which he characterised as a “structural transformation,” moving the nation “from digital consumption to digital production, from participation to leadership, from dependency to sovereignty.”
The event brought together several distinguished speakers, including: Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana; Ing. Dr. Lucy Agyepong, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Academic City University College; Mrs. Etta Mosore, Deputy Director General, Managerial Operations – National Communications Authority (NCA); Jada Badu, CEO, Uber Ghana; Ms. Margaret Ansei, CEO, Ghana Enterprise Agency; Winifred Kotin, Eagle Innovations
This year’s FEMITECH Conference, marking its fourth edition, was simultaneously held in Bolgatanga, Upper Region; Nkwanta South, Oti Region, and Sunyani, Bono Region.