• Government plans to leverage TikTok’s popularity to promote its “One Million Coders” initiative.
• STEM content on TikTok seen as key to engaging youth in digital skills learning.
• Challenges remain, including internet access disparities, data costs, and data privacy concerns.

Ghana is exploring an innovative strategy to boost digital skills by turning to TikTok, one of the country’s most popular social platforms, to help train one million coders. The government hopes to capitalize on TikTok’s massive reach to expand its “One Million Coders” program, an ambitious initiative launched in April 2025 to equip Ghanaians with critical digital skills.

The announcement came on June 26, 2025, during a meeting between Samuel Nartey George, Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technologies and Innovation, and a TikTok delegation led by Tokunbo Ibrahim, Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for West Africa. The discussions focused on leveraging TikTok’s recently introduced STEM feed in Africa—a section of the platform dedicated to educational content in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

According to Minister George, the administration intends to work together to publicize the ‘One Million Coders’ initiative so that Ghanaians can access educational content and courses through the app. He underscored the importance of turning TikTok into a tool for digital skills development, rather than just entertainment.

TikTok’s appeal among Ghanaian internet users is undeniable. According to the “Digital 2025: Ghana” report by We Are Social and Meltwater, 81% of Ghanaians aged 16 and over who use the internet access TikTok monthly, making it the second most popular platform after WhatsApp (93%). Furthermore, 31% of social media users in this demographic identify TikTok as their favorite platform—more than any other social app.

To complement online learning efforts, the government is also in discussions with local tech company TECHAiDE to incorporate the “Asanka” device—a wireless offline learning management system—into the training program. This initiative aims to reach learners with limited or no internet connectivity, broadening access to digital education in underserved areas.

Despite the enthusiasm, the collaboration with TikTok remains at the exploratory stage, with no formal agreement yet signed. If implemented, several challenges could hinder the initiative’s success, including unequal internet access across urban and rural areas, high data costs, ownership of compatible smartphones, and the stable connectivity required for video-based learning. Experts have also raised concerns about the protection of user data and the responsible management of information collected through the platform.

Isaac K. Kassouwi