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MTN Ghana Foundation Equips Women with Future-Ready Digital Skills
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Isaac Kofi Dzokpo, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/mtn-ghana-foundation-equips-women-with-future-ready-digital-skills/The MTN Ghana Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting digital inclusion and gender equality through the 2025 edit...
News Ghana
published: Oct 10, 2025

News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Isaac Kofi Dzokpo, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/mtn-ghana-foundation-equips-women-with-future-ready-digital-skills/
The MTN Ghana Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting digital inclusion and gender equality through the 2025 edition of the Girl Code Hackathon, an annual initiative aimed at equipping young women with practical technology skills and innovation experience.
The 30-hour hackathon, themed “Future-Proofing Africa: Innovation at the Intersection of Fintech, Cybersecurity, and AI,” brought together 100 female students from tertiary institutions across the country to develop technology-based solutions to real-world challenges.

Speaking at the event, Senior Manager for the MTN Ghana Foundation, Robert Kuzoe, said the programme forms part of MTN’s broader mission to empower young women to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
“Every year, we bring together young women from tertiary institutions for a hackathon that challenges their creativity and technical skills. The goal is to empower them with relevant digital skills, particularly in coding, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence,” Mr. Kuzoe stated.
He explained that the hackathon encourages participants to identify pressing social and business problems and design technology-driven solutions to address them.
“The best-performing team with a practical and impactful innovation will be rewarded by MTN. This initiative also falls under our inclusion pillar, which focuses on helping women excel in industries traditionally dominated by men,” he added.
Mr. Kuzoe noted that the 2025 edition was unique because it featured only tertiary-level participants, who are expected to deliver more advanced and scalable innovations.
“This year, we have 100 young women from tertiary institutions, which makes the event special. We’re expecting their projects to go a step further than what we’ve seen in previous years,” he said.
He further emphasized that the Foundation’s long-term vision is to promote digital empowerment and employability among young people.
“Our goal is to equip the youth with skills that make them employable or self-reliant, rather than depending solely on white-collar jobs. For those passionate about engineering and technology, MTN can be a place of opportunity if they make the most of this platform,” he said.
Adding her voice, Head of Technology and Service Management at Absa Bank Ghana, Ms. Anita Twum-Ampofo, urged participants to leverage technology as a tool for inclusion, empowerment, and ethical innovation.
“Over the next 30 hours, you will not only build solutions but also build legacies. As we digitize our economies, we must secure them. As we innovate, we must ensure inclusion. And as we embrace AI, we must do so ethically and intentionally,” she said.
Ms. Twum-Ampofo underscored the importance of cybersecurity and trust in technology, stressing that every innovation must prioritize user safety and reliability.
“Cybersecurity is no longer a back-office function; it’s a frontline necessity. Every line of code you write and every interface you design must be trustworthy, because without trust, technology fails,” she emphasized.
She encouraged participants to see themselves as active contributors to Africa’s digital transformation.
“You belong here not just in this hackathon, but in boardrooms, policy tables, and innovation labs. You are not only the future; you are the now,” she said to applause.
CEO and Founder of GirlCode, Ms. Zandile Mkwanazi, outlined the competition’s judging criteria, which focused on innovation, technical execution, impact and usefulness, and presentation or demonstration.
She also encouraged participants to take advantage of the MTN Skills Academy, a free digital platform offering access to financial and technology-based training across Africa.
“The Skills Academy aims to bridge the gap between the high demand for digital skills and the low supply while creating employment opportunities. It’s not only in Ghana; it runs across the continent,” she said.
Ms. Mkwanazi added that beyond the prizes, the hackathon offers participants the opportunity to learn, network, and strengthen their problem-solving capabilities.
The Girl Code Hackathon, supported by MTN Ghana Foundation, continues to serve as a platform for nurturing the next generation of female tech innovators and promoting inclusion within Africa’s growing digital landscape.
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