President Mahama launches One Million Coders Programme to equip Ghanaian youth with digital skills

President John Dramani Mahama has launched the One Million Coders Programme, a nationwide digital literacy program aimed at training over one million Ghanaians. This initiative will run for four years, focusing on in coding, cybersecurity, data analytics, and related fields.

During the initiative’s launch, on Wednesday, April 16 2025, Mahama stated that the initiative as a core part of his government’s Reset Ghana agenda, geared towards preparing Ghana for a key leadership role in the global digital economy.

President Mahama said that “This is not just a fulfilled campaign promise, but it is a deliberate move towards building a knowledge-based economy where our people are able to create solutions, find jobs, and compete globally.”

He expressed that the program would help deal with unemployment and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.

He added that the first group of 560 trainees under the one million coders programme is currently undergoing training in Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani and Bolgatanga. As per his statement, more than 90,000 applications were received within the first 48 hours after the initiative was unveiled.

President Mahama remarked that the considerable interest shown reflects the desire among young Ghanaians to gain hands-on experience. He again said that, the programme would be available to individuals from the various  backgrounds, including women, rural communities and individuals with disabilities.

He added that “We are not just training our youth, but we are rather changing the national story from being users of imported technology to creators of our own.”

The President also detailed the plans to position Ghana as a hub for business process outsourcing,  highlighting the country’s English-speaking population, central location, and young, digitally skilled workforce.

He spoke about some initiatives in countries such as Estonia, the United Kingdom, Finland, Japan, and the United States, where coding is taught from an early age of education.

He emphasized that Ghana would adapt these models to suit local needs. According to him, the programme is not only about teaching technical skills but also about helpi various individuals in problem-solving, analytical thinking, and collaboration qualities he thinks are very essential now.

He said the government plans to establish  training centres in all 261 districts through the local community centers.

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