Ghana can create jobs and drive innovation through stronger industry-academia partnerships – Dr. Apaak

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak says stronger collaboration between industry and academic institutions can help Ghana create jobs, grow enterprises, strengthen innovation, and improve national productivity.

According to him, Ghana can draw lessons from Rwanda’s Kigali Innovation City, which brings together higher education institutions, technology companies, start-ups, and investors to develop digital skills and promote technology-led growth.

Speaking at the MTN Ghana–University of Ghana partnership signing ceremony in Accra on Wednesday, September 2, Dr. Apaak said purposeful collaboration between academia and industry could generate economic benefits that extend beyond the classroom.

“Rwanda’s Kigali Innovation City offers a useful example of how this kind of collaboration can translate into wider economic value,” he said.

“By bringing together higher education, technology firms, start-ups and investors and anchored by institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University Africa: it is helping to build advanced digital skills, support entrepreneurship and stimulate technology-led growth.”

Dr. Apaak said the experience provided an important lesson for Ghana as the country seeks to build a more competitive, technology-driven economy.

“The lesson is clear: when industry and academia work together with intention, the benefits go beyond the classroom,” he stated.

“They create jobs, grow enterprises, strengthen innovation, and improve national productivity.”

He described the MTN Ghana–University of Ghana partnership as a practical example of how industry and academia could work together to connect education with the needs of the economy.

“As Government, we see partnerships of this nature as essential to building a stronger bridge between education, innovation, industry and national development,” Dr Apaak said.

The Deputy Minister also commended MTN Ghana for its investment in human capital, describing it as a model for public-private collaboration.

“MTN Ghana’s sustained investment in human capital sets a clear benchmark for public-private collaboration,” he added.

He said the Ministry of Education would continue to create an enabling policy environment to encourage more companies and corporate leaders to invest in academic institutions and skills development.