• MTN Ghana signed an MoU with youth-led Thrive and Shine LBG to promote digital literacy and AI skills.
• The group pledged US$2 million to Ghana’s One Million Coders Programme, aligning with government efforts to equip young people with coding and technology skills
• Telcos across Africa — including MTN, Airtel, Orange, and Vodafone — are investing in digital skills academies, learning platforms, and startup support centers

MTN Ghana signed a memorandum of understanding with youth-led organisation Thrive and Shine LBG to promote digital literacy and address growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) skills among young people in Ghana.

The company said the agreement, signed on Thursday, will provide mentorship, internships and scholarships, as well as opportunities for participants to apply AI skills through practical projects.

The move follows other industry commitments. MTN Ghana recently announced a US$2 million contribution to the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations in support of the Government of Ghana’s One Million Coders Programme, which is part of the country’s digital transformation strategy and is intended to equip young people with coding and technology skills. Also, in December 2025, the Government of Ghana signed a memorandum of understanding with mobile operator Telecel Group to train 100,000 young Ghanaians under the One Million Coders initiative.

The partnership comes as the World Bank estimates that 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030. Similar initiatives are being rolled out by telecom groups across the continent. MTN operates the MTN Skills Academy, while Airtel Africa has partnered with UNICEF to expand digital learning platforms and Orange has established Digital Centers to support training and startups.

Hikmatu Bilali