Ghana School on Internet Governance Fellowship 2025 opens in Accra...Speakers call for digital safety for users

The 2025 edition of the Ghana School on Internet Governance (GhanaSIG) Fellowship officially opened today, July 1, in Accra. The four-day event will run until Friday, July 4, 2025.

Organized annually by the E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA), the event has brought together over 50 participants, selected from a competitive pool of 436 applications received from across Africa and around the world.

Participants represent a broad range of stakeholder groups, including international organizations and civil society, internet service providers and the technical community, end users, security services, government agencies, academia, as well as business and commerce.

GhanaSIG is a recognized and registered member of the Dynamic Coalition on Internet Governance Schools, a global network of institutions that share best practices in Internet Governance education.

Now in its sixth edition, this year’s fellowship aims to provide individuals from diverse sectors and backgrounds with the skills and knowledge needed to engage meaningfully in Internet Governance discussions at local, national, regional, and international levels.

The program also seeks to explore global Internet Governance issues through the lens of local and regional contexts in Ghana and Africa. The theme for this year is "Beyond Access: Building a Trustworthy, Inclusive and Open Internet for All."

Over the course of the four days, the fellowship will cover a range of critical topics including international trade, cybersecurity and business, engagement in the Internet Governance ecosystem, universal acceptance, digital inclusion, human rights and digital rights, blockchain, and consensus building.

Digital safety

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of Public Affairs, Parliament of Ghana, Kate Addo emphasized that while global internet access is growing rapidly with billions of users and increasing daily usage, it is equally important to ensure that online spaces are safe and accessible for everyone.

Speaking as the Guest of Honour, her address focused on the dual goals of expanding internet access and promoting digital safety in today's world noting that the internet has become central to communication, commerce, education and governance among others.

"In today's contemporary digital age, the internet has become the most important and reliable means of daily interactions, communication and information dissemination and sharing, which is what I do."  

"For us in this room today, we have demonstrated our keen interest and commitment in not just creating access to the internet for all, but also ensuring that internet spaces are safe for use by all. These, coupled with issues of safety and protection, are the basis of my address to you this morning," she said.

Statistics

She also mentioned user statistics saying:  "I'm sure you all do know that, 5.52 billion people use the internet worldwide, accounting for 67.5 per cent of the world's population. 5.35 billion people accessed the internet in 2024 last year, equating to 66.2 per cent of global population. 97 million people have started using the internet for the first time in the past 12 months, showing a year-on-year increase of 1.8 per cent. It is also estimated that, on the average, an individual spends six hours and 31 minutes daily using the internet."

"95.9 per cent of internet users use smartphones to browse the internet. Social media is used by almost 95 per cent of internet users globally, accounting for 5.17 billion social media users. These statistics show that, gradually and steadily, individuals, peoples, and groups are gaining access to the internet, irrespective of their location or literacy levels."

She continued: "As the theme for this program suggests, beyond providing access to the internet, it is also important to put in measures to protect the users in the space, with special emphasis on those in vulnerable groups. For instance, at the moment, globally, 33% of children below the ages of 18 are on the internet."

She expressed her deep sense of honour and purpose in addressing the audience about a topic which she said she found important and globally relevant. 

"So, obviously, the internet presents many positives. The positive effects include educational advancement, skill development, social connectivity. There are many negatives, as you know, and these include exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online exploitation, addiction and reduced well-being, privacy, and security risks."

"We must shape governance frameworks that are people-centered, transparent, and responsive to the digital age. There's also the need to put in place policies and parental engagement measures to keep the internet space safe, as well as the need for digital literacy and a cultural shift," she stressed. 

"And so, as we seek to make the internet more accessible, we must be mindful of the needs of those who use it. Users must be able to trust the space, and most importantly, feel safe there. So, on this note, let me once again express my greatest pleasure at being asked to be the guest of honour for this auspicious occasion, and to declare your four-day programme duly opened," she concluded.

Improvements

Founder and President of EGIGFA, Raymond Mamattah emphasized that this year’s fellowship builds upon the successes of the previous five editions, with several notable improvements.

He highlighted that one key addition to this year’s program is the introduction of a series of awards, with winners set to be announced on the final day of the fellowship.

"Among these is the Association of African Universities (AAU) Ndumu Award, which will be awarded to one of the soon-to-be fellows. This award is in memory of Madame Ndumu Damini, who was a staff of AAU and played a key role in the internet governance, not only in Ghana, but globally," he said.

"Furthermore, as part of our collaborations to enrich the fellowship, we have reached an agreement with AAU to get one of their nominees to be automatically selected for the fellowship."

He encouraged the participants to take full advantage of the event to deepen their understanding of Internet Governance and expressed appreciation to the fellows and sponsors for their tireless contributions in making the fellowship a success.

"Selected fellows, this is a great opportunity to learn about internet governance and to engage. We hope you make good use of the opportunity and contribute your quota to enriching the internet, which belongs to all of us. Make good memories and friends, which is necessary for the future," he added.

Collaboration

Acting Coordinator at AAU, Dr Felicia Nkrumah Kuagbedzi expressed gratitude for the collaboration between the AAU and EGIGFA adding her outfit remains steadfast in efforts to advance internant development, both within the country and across the African continent.

"As we gather here today, let us be reminded that the future of Africa's internet is not something to be observed from a distance - it is something we must shape actively and inclusively."

"Together with partners like EGIGFA, we can build an internet that reflects our identities, serves our communities and safeguards our freedoms," she added.