The Ghana Hubs Network (GHN) and GIZ Ghana have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the growth and development of innovation hubs in Ghana and to further strengthen their role as anchors in the digital ecosystem.

The agreement is to be executed through the Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development in Ghana (DTEG), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH’ on behalf of The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The signing event, which occurred at the DTC Office at Capital Place, Accra, highlights the joint institutional commitment towards deepening collaborative efforts for the ultimate benefit of entrepreneurs and innovators in Ghana.

Delivering his keynote address, the Head of Project of the Digital Transformation Center, at GIZ, David Robert, underscored the pivotal role of innovation hubs for Ghana’s innovation landscape, and his organisation’s acknowledgement of the centrality of the Ghana Hub Network towards the enhancement of digitalisation in the nation.

He emphasised that the collective desire to create a sustainable and enduring impact from this drive required bringing innovation and digitalisation closer to the people and the regions.

“This brings to the fore the need to intensify our relationship through encouraging enhanced business models for hubs, developing capacities in organisational and business development, facilitating networking opportunities among the actors within the landscape.”

“It also involves reducing the gap between the rural and urban areas, reducing the gender gap, as well as bridging the formal and informal enterprises divide,” Mr Robert stressed.

He expressed his confidence in the prospects that his organisation’s strategic partnership with the Network offered, noting, “by leveraging better organised partnerships, such as that presented by the Ghana Hub Network, we can support it to further support other hubs.”

The Chairperson of the Ghana Hubs Network, Josiah Eyison, expressed his gratitude for the gesture of collaboration and lauded the efforts of GIZ Ghana, in enabling it to be more impactful in its operations and activities.”

GIZ’s support for the Ghana Hubs Network structure in terms of financing, capacity-building, and technical assistance shows its dedication, and has brought the Network to its current recognition.”

He added, that the network shared GIZ’s vision for a more inclusive digital innovation space, and was poised to deepen their cooperation towards achieving this and more in the coming years.