The Akuapem Technology Secretariat has intensified efforts to develop a “Akuapem Silicon Ridge” innovation ecosystem following a strategic engagement with technology entrepreneur and academic Dr. Ohene Aku Kwapong (PhD), Founder and Managing Partner of The Songhai Group, as preparations continue for the Akuapem Tech Summit 2026.

The engagement brought together a delegation from the Secretariat, comprising Ayeh Akuffo (Acting Chief Operations Director), Emmanuel Bekoe (Acting Director, Research, Media & Communications), Amb. Nana Aku Sika Okani (II) (Acting Director of Sponsorship and Partnerships), Dr. Godfred Aboagye (Acting Director of Technology and Innovation), and Kwaku Saforo (Acting Director of Monitoring and Evaluation).

The team held discussions focused on transforming the Tech Summit into a long-term digital development framework anchored in innovation, education, and community-wide connectivity.

Global partnerships and institutional collaboration

During the meeting, Dr. Ohene-Aku Kwapong emphasised the importance of embedding strong global partnerships into the summit’s framework, referencing ongoing engagements with international institutions, including MIT-linked programmes and global technology strategy workshops. He said such collaborations are critical for attracting international experts to Ghana for capacity building, innovation exchange, and long-term ecosystem development.

He further expressed readiness to support the Secretariat in coordinating engagements and strengthening institutional partnerships to elevate the Akuapem Tech Summit beyond a one-off event into a sustained, globally connected innovation platform.

Village digital integration and Switzerland-inspired model

A central pillar of the engagement was the proposed Silicon Ridge model, designed to position Akuapem as a smart innovation corridor inspired by global technology ecosystems. A key proposal discussed was the full digital integration of all villages within Akuapem through a unified platform that enables real-time access to community information, services, and development data.

Dr. Ohene-Aku Kwapong stressed that inclusive digital transformation must reach every community without exception. “We must leverage technology to connect every village in Akuapem so that anyone can easily know what is happening in each community through a digital platform,” he said.

“It should reflect models like Switzerland, where even small villages are fully integrated into national systems and services such as hospitals, churches, and social amenities are equitably distributed and accessible.”

Integrated digital ecosystem platform

The Secretariat further outlined ongoing plans to deploy a comprehensive digital ecosystem platform aimed at integrating governance, agriculture, tourism, and community administration across Akuapem. The system is expected to support chiefs in administrative functions, enhance revenue collection, improve agricultural monitoring, and provide real-time community data access across all towns and villages.

Dr. Godfred Aboagye, Acting Director of Technology and Innovation of the Secretariat, noted that the long-term objective is to ensure full digital connectivity across the traditional area. “This is not just about a summit; it is about building a living digital infrastructure for Akuapem,” he stated.

“The long-term objective is to ensure that every community is digitally connected, enabling transparency, coordination, and shared development intelligence across the traditional area.”

He added that the Secretariat is developing an integrated application to connect traditional authorities and communities into a unified data-driven platform supporting planning, monitoring, and real-time service delivery.

Akuapem Tech Summit 2026

The Akuapem Tech Summit 2026 is scheduled for October 1, 2026, at the Peduase Valley Resort, and is expected to host about 1,000 in-person participants alongside a global virtual audience of policymakers, investors, academics, and technology leaders.

The Akuapem Technology Secretariat is the coordinating body responsible for planning, partnerships, and execution of the summit and its accompanying Silicon Ridge development programme.