Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has said Africa's digital future must be shaped and owned by Africans through strategic partnerships that promote inclusion, innovation, and sovereignty.Speaking at the 10th anniversary of Mobex Africa in Accra yesterday, he said technology must not only drive growth but strengthen institutions and empower citizens across the continent.He noted that under President John Dra­mani Mahama, Ghana was pursuing a bold digital agenda, including a $1 million nation­al programme to train citizens in coding, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data analytics.The programme, being implemented across all 261 districts, is designed to be inclusive, targeting women, rural youth, and persons with disabilities.Mr Debrah said the government's digital roadmap includes completing the Eastern Corridor Fibre Optic Project by 2027, launch­ing a National Digital Development Council by 2026, and creating a tri-sector forum in­volving government, industry, and academia."These efforts aim to create 200,000 digital jobs and position Ghana as West Africa's digi­tal hub, generating over $2 billion in annual digital exports," he said.He commended Mobex Africa for its role in shaping Ghana's digital journey, citing its contribution to mobile money interoperabili­ty, youth training, and public-private dialogue on policy.He said events like the Mobex Africa Partnership Day demonstrated how collabo­ration could unlock the continent's full digital potential.Minister of Communication and Digital Technology, Mr Samuel Nartey George, said there was the need for Africa to move from being digital consumers to digital creators and owners.He said the continent was at a crossroads and must lead the global digital shift by build­ing its own infrastructure, training its people, and shaping laws that match modern realities.He said Ghana had already begun this transformation through programmes like the One Million Coders initiative, aimed at train­ing citizens, especially women and youth in AI, machine learning, and other digital skills.He revealed that Ghana was also setting up a national data exchange hub to support secure data sharing across sectors and is preparing 15 new ICT laws to be laid before Parliament by the end of the year.Mr George said every government agency must become AI-ready to improve service delivery and create value for citizens.Executive Director of Margins ID Group, Andrew Asamoah, also called for digital infrastructure that is sovereign, inclusive, and driven by African talent.He pointed to Ghana's success with the Ghana Card, now used by over 250 institu­tions for identity verification, as proof that digital transformation was possible through strong partnerships.Mobex Africa CEO, Mr George Spencer Quaye, urged stakeholders to deepen collab­oration, saying Africa cannot afford to tackle its digital challenges in isolation.He called on partners across sectors to commit to building a digital ecosystem that is inclusive, secure, and African-led. BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG