“Data is the new gold” – Prof. Kwofie leads charge for AI-driven, equitable Africa

Director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) at the University of Ghana, has issued a clarion call for Ghana and Africa to transform untapped data into equitable AI solutions that address the continent's most pressing societal challenges.

Speaking at the 2026 Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa, organised by the School of Biological Sciences under the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at the University of Ghana, Prof Samuel Kojo Kwofie declared that data is the new gold and Africa is sitting on a vast, largely unexploited reserve.

Kwofie challenged universities across Ghana, particularly his own institution, the University of Ghana to reposition themselves as AI-powered institutions within the next decade.