The Stanford Seed Transformation Network (SSTN) Ghana Chapter drew a full house at its “AI Workshop: Unlocking the Power of Artificial Intelligence – Hands On,” held in Accra.
Originally designed for 100 participants, the event attracted nearly 150 entrepreneurs, executives and professionals keen to learn how artificial intelligence could reshape finance, HR, marketing, customer service and operations.
The one-day training, sponsored by Ghanaian technology firm Npontu Technologies, featured a lineup of facilitators including Npontu’s Dr. Stephane Nwolley and Deborah Asmah, Ohemaa Gyamera of 40 Analytics, Benjamin Nortey of Mingo Blox, Julian Owusu of Build Your Company, Isaac Maafo of BulkSMS Ghana, and Derrick Siawor of Command Space.
Dr. Nwolley, founder of Npontu and keynote speaker, urged African businesses to take bold steps into what he described as the “5th Industrial Revolution.”
“Africa cannot afford to miss the emerging 5th Industrial Revolution, unlike earlier industrialisation waves where we were forced to play catch-up,” he said.
“By investing boldly and eliminating bias, Npontu enables every African organisation to adopt AI effortlessly, while treating inevitable mistakes as valuable learning opportunities.”
Npontu has built its own AI platform, Snwolley.AI—a conversational assistant trained locally to understand Ghanaian and African business contexts. The tool is designed to offer a culturally attuned alternative to global models such as ChatGPT.
For many participants, the workshop offered more than just theory. Attendees tested AI-powered solutions and left with tools they said they could apply immediately in their businesses.
The event also underscored SSTN Ghana’s push to ensure local firms are not left behind as artificial intelligence spreads.
President of the SSTN Ghana Chapter, Prince Koblah Arkutu, said, “Our mission with this workshop is to ensure that African businesses are not left behind in the AI revolution.”
“The turnout and energy we witnessed demonstrate the private sector’s readiness to lead with AI.”
By opening the event to non-members, SSTN said it hoped to promote a wider culture of knowledge-sharing and collaboration, strengthening the ability of African businesses to compete globally.
