Google Partners With The Ghanaian Goverment To Launch Speech Recognition And AI Tools – AfroTech
Google is partnering with the Ghanaian government to offer its residents education and training in AI tools that use local languages.
Google will work with the University of Ghana and GDI Hub to launch AI education tools with improved speech recognition in Ghanaian languages, including Twi, Ewe, and Dagbani, to increase accessibility in education and digital services, according to a Facebook post from Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu shared on Jan. 22.
“During our engagement, I emphasised the importance of including Hausa, a language spoken widely across Ghana and West Africa. Integrating Hausa will deepen regional inclusion and further strengthen Ghana’s leadership as an AI innovation hub on the continent,” Iddrisu said in the post.
The AI education tools are intended to detect local accents and linguistic variations, iAfrica reports, and will consider non-standard speech for real-world context.
The partnership will develop learning materials in compliance with Ghana’s national curriculum, including instruction on using AI responsibly in teaching and learning, Iddrisu noted in the Facebook post. According to the post, these tools will be available to users without data charges to ensure economic status isn’t a barrier.
“I am also pleased to share that I received firm assurance from Google’s Director of Operations for Africa and the Gemini lead that Google’s education tools will be deployed in Ghana on a zero-rated basis. This includes curriculum-aligned content and resources on the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning, ensuring access for all learners regardless of location or income. Ghana is not just participating in the AI revolution, we are helping to shape it for Africa,” Iddrisu added in the post.
Google’s $1B Commitment in Africa
The announcement follows a five-year commitment from Google to invest in Africa to boost its digital infrastructure, as AFROTECH™ previously reported.
In 2025, the tech giant committed $37 million to support students and researchers on the continent to ensure they had a stake in AI’s development and industries such as climate resilience, agriculture, healthcare, and education, according to a separate article from AFROTECH™.
