In the wake of on-going protests against police brutality and push for reform within the government, and heavy-handed responses from security forces across the country, Nigeria has come into the global spotlight. Thousands of Nigerians — led by mostly young people — continue to urge for more accountability from the government, lawmakers and police leadership. During the week of October 19th, reports emerged of security forces in Nigeria responding with force. The escalation shocked many in Nigeria and beyond.

As we reached out to various members of our community living and working in Nigeria, many shared a belief that current…

In early 2015, floods in Malawi displaced thousands of people and saw about a third of the country a disaster zone. Malawian reliance on subsistence farming also meant that the floods created a food crisis for millions across the country. To support the government of Malawi’s effort to better prepare for and prevent such flooding in the future, Zindi Africa in partnership with UNICEF and ARM, invited data scientists across Africa to interpret and generate insights from the 2015 flooding’s data.

From Accra, alumnus Kelvin Wellington ’14 was one of the data scientists across Africa that joined the call. His…

Ashesi Engineering alumna Khadijahtu Mohammed ’20 has been named the first-place finalist out of fifteen for the 2020 Falling Walls Lab competition in Ghana. Falling Walls Lab is an international forum for the next generation of early-career innovators, creators, and visionaries. It aims to promote exceptional ideas and connect promising scientists and entrepreneurs from all fields. The 2020 Ghana competition, which was organised by the German Academic Exchange Service and held at the University of Ghana in Accra, had some forty submissions in total. Joseph Nzeh, a research assistant from the University of Development Studies, was the first runner-up.

Khadijahtu’s…

By the time he graduated from Ashesi, Joseph Nti was recognised on campus as a creative industry force in the making. After launching one of the most read student magazines in Ashesi — the Ink — he discovered an interest in content creation and the creative arts; an interest which he has pursued for several years now.

Today, Joseph’s cosmopolitan Youtube show “Off the Top” and podcast “Sincerely Accra” have made him a recognised artist. And he is just getting started.

“From starting and managing the publication of The Ink at Ashesi, I not only gained a portfolio, I also…

After their first visit to Ashesi’s campus, Sarah and Kwame Akuffo were convinced they had found the ideal university for their kids.

“The environment was so serene, and I was amazed that there is an institution of this caliber in Ghana,” confessed Sarah, whose son and daughter eventually became students at Ashesi. “From that moment, we started working towards Ashesi; putting money away, and helping our kids prepare both socially and academically.”

For the Akuffos, quality education has always been a priority. So they’ve always sought the best value for their money, even if it sometimes meant making cuts.

“Though…

When Dennis Asamoah ’12 started Nokwary Technologies, his goal was to use Artificial Intelligence to build solutions and products that are both inclusive and convenient. In creating a blueprint for this approach, his startup designed a WhatsApp-based banking service that allows platform users to make money transactions using voice commands and texts. In August of 2020, the banking system prototype won the Ecobank Fintech Challenge, bringing a boost to the development of the service.

“During my graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, I became fascinated with speech and natural language processing and especially its potential to make technology accessible…

When Susan DaCosta completed her undergraduate program at Ashesi this year, she accomplished what had barely been a dream years ago. The last of her parent’s six children, from a remote town in the Gambia, financial constraints had made college seem unlikely. However, having been a standout student, Susan was encouraged by her counselors and parents to consider applying to universities nonetheless, with hopes that she could receive a generous scholarship offer. They were right.

Since 2015, the Ford Foundation has supported some 74 Ashesi student-led initiatives ranging from education, mentorship, sanitation, childcare, and youth in agriculture, through the Fund for Service to Children and Youth Grant.

Established to support projects aimed at making a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children and youth in Ghana, the Fund has disbursed nearly $200,000 over the past five years, impacting over 2000 children and youth in over ten communities.

“Overall, the funding from the grant has allowed students with impactful projects constrained by their finances to go ahead with their plans,” said Jude Acquaah, Manager for Community…