University of Ghana partners with Google to develop AI tools in local languages

The University of Ghana is partnering with Google and the Global Disability Innovation Hub to develop speech recognition and AI tools in Ghanaian local languages to improve access to education and digital services.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced the initiative on Facebook after meeting Google executives on the sidelines of the Generative AI Summit in the United Kingdom.

Iddrisu said Google is working with the University of Ghana and GDI Hub to advance speech recognition and AI tools for Ghanaian languages, including Twi, Ewe and Dagbani, with a focus on non-standard speech to improve accessibility.

He said Google has also assured the government that its education tools, including curriculum-aligned content and resources on the responsible use of AI, will be deployed in Ghana on a zero-rated basis, meaning students can access them without data charges.

Iddrisu said he pushed for the inclusion of Hausa, one of the most widely spoken languages in Ghana and across West Africa, in the development of the tools. He said integrating Hausa would deepen regional inclusion and strengthen Ghana’s position as an AI innovation hub on the continent.

The initiative builds on Google’s broader investment in Africa’s digital future. In July 2025, the company announced a US$37 million investment in AI research and digital skills development across the continent, including the launch of Africa’s first AI Community Centre in Accra.

The centre is designed as a hub for AI literacy, research and collaboration, and positions Ghana at the heart of Google’s US$1 billion long-term commitment to Africa’s digital transformation.

As part of that investment, Google also awarded a US$3 million grant to the Masakhane Research Foundation to support speech and translation tools for more than 40 African languages.

SOURCE: MRA