The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Sampson Ahi, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to advancing drone and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as key drivers of Ghana’s industrial transformation, job creation, and export competitiveness.
Delivering a keynote address at the Drone Ignite Africa Summit 2026 in Accra on Tuesday, 10th February 2026, Hon. Ahi said Ghana is positioning itself to harness emerging technologies to accelerate inclusive economic growth. He stressed that drones and AI are no longer futuristic concepts but “practical economic tools” already improving productivity and governance in agriculture, mining, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and public safety.
In agriculture, he explained, precision technologies such as crop monitoring, smart irrigation, targeted application, and yield forecasting could significantly boost productivity while reducing costs and environmental impact. He added that these innovations are opening new employment opportunities for young people in agri-tech, geospatial services, and data-driven solutions.
Highlighting the mining and industrial sectors, Hon. Ahi noted that drone-based data and AI analytics are strengthening exploration efficiency, environmental monitoring, land management, and compliance, while boosting investor confidence. He emphasized Ghana’s determination to move from being a consumer of imported technologies to becoming a creator and exporter, supported by regulatory clarity, innovation financing, and regional collaboration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He called on the private sector, academia, development partners, and young innovators to collaborate with government in building a technology-driven industrial ecosystem.
Mr. Derrick Annan, Co-Founder and CEO of Axis Drone Surveys, also addressed the summit, encouraging young people to embrace drone technology as an emerging career path. Other speakers highlighted the role of drones in strengthening institutional capacity, supporting innovation, and improving data collection in mining communities to promote responsible mining.
The summit underscored Ghana’s ambition to leverage cutting-edge technologies to drive industrial growth and position itself as a leader in Africa’s digital transformation.
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