Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has submitted his letter of intent to the African Union (AU) to contest for the chairmanship of the AU’s Specialised Technical Committee on Communication and ICT (STC-CICT).

The minister secured approval from President John Dramani Mahama before submitting his bid. The move is seen as strategic, particularly as President Mahama is expected to assume the AU chairmanship in 2027.

If elected, Sam George would play a key role in shaping Africa’s ICT and digital trade policies during the period of Ghana’s leadership at the continental body, helping to advance the president’s vision for the sector.

The minister disclosed his intentions in an exclusive interview with Techfocus24 at the Mobile World Congress 2026 currently taking place in Barcelona, Spain.

According to him, his candidacy is already attracting considerable support across the continent. He revealed that South Africa is mobilising countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to back Ghana’s bid.

He added that the Smart Africa Alliance has also indicated its intention to support his campaign, while Egypt is assisting in rallying support from countries in North Africa.

“I am optimistic that it will be a consensus election because I do not foresee any other country putting up a bid. Ghana stands tall when it comes to digitalisation,” he said.

Sam George further explained that within the last 72 hours he had contacted his counterparts in all 54 African states to outline Ghana’s plans and the potential benefits of its leadership of both the AU and the STC-CICT.

He believes the opportunity will allow Ghana to help establish stronger digital trade frameworks under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), particularly in areas such as seamless cross-border data flows, digital transactions and logistics integration.

According to him, Africa already has the policy frameworks required to achieve digital integration but needs effective leadership to implement them.

“It is a golden opportunity to make regulatory harmonisation practical so that while the sovereignty of African states remains intact, data flows freely and regulators across countries can approve transfers without unnecessary regulatory barriers,” he noted.

Sam George added that President Mahama’s expected leadership of the AU could make it easier to secure the commitment of African heads of state to adopt digital trade frameworks and harmonised regulatory systems.

He argued that stronger continental cooperation in digital policy could help Africa reduce reliance on Western financial and data systems for cross-border transactions.

The minister pointed out that regions such as Europe are already exploring ways to reduce dependence on external financial systems and strengthen internal digital payment and settlement platforms.

He believes Africa should follow a similar path by developing systems that allow financial flows and digital transactions to be initiated and settled within the continent without excessive reliance on foreign currencies or external platforms.

Sam George expressed confidence that Ghana’s leadership within the AU could help accelerate Africa’s digital transformation and strengthen the continent’s technological independence.