The Africa Center for Digital Transformation (ACDT) celebrates a momentous milestone in its pursuit of excellence and innovation.

At the globally revered CIB World Congress 2025, hosted by Purdue University, USA, Dr. Frank Ato Ghansah emerged as a shining star, clinching the coveted Best Paper Award for a transformative study that is setting the pace in the digital revolution of the built environment.

The award-winning research paper, “Prioritising Critical Barriers to Digital Twins Implementation for Sustainable Smart Facility Management in the Built Environment: A Global Study,” addresses one of the most critical questions of our time: how can we use digital innovation to sustainably manage our buildings and cities?

Dr. Ghansah’s work courageously dives into the challenges that hinder the adoption of digital twin technology, virtual models that mirror real-world facilities for improved decision-making and charts a pathway toward practical, sustainable solutions. His vision brings new hope to how we imagine the future of smart infrastructure.

This landmark achievement is the result of a powerful collaboration with co-authors Chika Udeaja, Amos Darko, Weisheng Lu, George Agyekum-Mensah, Prince Antwi-Afari, Samuel Twum-Ampofo, Benjamin Kwaku Ababio, and Caleb Debrah brilliant minds whose collective insight and commitment to sustainable digital futures made this global study possible.

Together, these scholars have not only spotlighted Africa’s rising leadership in the global research community but also delivered a compelling roadmap for the digital transformation of the built environment.

This triumph also signals something deeper for the African innovation space: that homegrown talent, backed by global collaboration and visionary institutions like ACDT, can lead the charge in solving complex global challenges.

As we celebrate this historic win, we are reminded that the future belongs to those who embrace innovation with integrity and vision. Dr. Ghansah and his co-authors have done just that elevating research, reshaping perspectives and reaffirming Africa’s voice in the future of digital technology.

Congratulations to Dr. Frank Ato Ghansah. Congratulations to the team.
May this be the first of many accolades in a journey that is changing the face of digital transformation across the globe.