My GhanaWeb Journey and a GhanaWeb Excellence Awards Nomination

When I learned that I had been nominated in the STEM category of the 2025 GhanaWeb Excellence Awards, I felt both honoured and humbled. I found out when 1 of the members of #DMVKonnect (who lives in Maryland) shared it in the Whatsapp Group. Awards are always appreciated, but this one felt particularly meaningful because of the long history and reputation of GhanaWeb. The awards ceremony was held on March 6, 2026 - Ghana’s birthday no less, which I attended with my sister, Stacey aka Panyin. I did not win, I lost out to Prof Elsie Effah Kaufmann, one of the greatest Ghanaians of her generation. When I reflected on the nomination recently, I found myself looking back through years of articles, interviews, features, and conversations that have connected my work with one of Ghana's most influential media platforms.

In many ways, GhanaWeb has become an archive of my professional journey. Over the years, the platform has covered different aspects of my work as a technology advocate, entrepreneur, community builder, mentor, and youth development practitioner. For years, I have also been a contributor (posting on GhanaWeb), sharing ideas and perspectives through articles published on the platform. Looking back at those writings today feels a little like opening a time capsule and revisiting the ideas that have guided much of my work. In fact, I have written articles published on GhanaWeb using my real name and pseudonyms too :-)

Writing has always been an important way for me to think through challenges and opportunities facing Ghana. Through GhanaWeb, I wrote about topics ranging from civic engagement and media responsibility to national identity and citizen participation. In articles such as Cue the convenience in payments, queue no more, Student Initiatives and Six Alternative Ways to Celebrate Ghana's Independence Day, I challenged readers to think differently about the role each of us can play in shaping our country, amongst other things. Although some of those articles were written years ago, I am struck by how relevant many of those themes remain today. I have long believed that progress is driven by people who move beyond observing problems and choose to become part of the solution. That belief continues to influence how I approach community building, entrepreneurship, and volunteerism.

Another consistent theme throughout my journey has been technology. GhanaWeb has covered various initiatives and conversations in which I have advocated for technology as a tool for opportunity and development, including through the MOBEX Africa platform. One interview - Lowdown on Ghanaweb TV that stands out was my discussion about technology being one of the greatest gifts available to Ghanaian youth. I still hold that view strongly. Technology has dramatically reduced barriers to learning, entrepreneurship, and global collaboration. Today, a young person with curiosity, determination, and internet access can acquire valuable skills, build products, launch businesses, and connect with mentors and opportunities around the world. Technology is not a cure-all for every challenge we face, but it remains one of the most powerful enablers of economic growth and social progress available to us.

That belief in opportunity has shaped much of my work over the years. Whether through GhanaThink Foundation - BarCamp Ghana, Junior Camp Ghana (JCG), the Ghana Volunteer Program, Komseko, or other initiatives, my focus has consistently been on creating platforms that help people learn, connect, and grow. What motivates me most is not the programs themselves but the stories that emerge from them. I think about the student who discovers a career path through a BarCamp conversation, the entrepreneur who finds a mentor, the volunteer who develops a lifelong commitment to service, or the young professional who builds a network that transforms their career. These stories remind me that meaningful impact often happens one person at a time.

GhanaWeb has also documented some of the opportunities I have had to engage with global communities and institutions. From participating in the Global Shapers Community and attending events connected to the World Economic Forum on Africa to involvement with MIT programs and visiting Facebook's headquarters alongside fellow Ghanaian bloggers, these experiences have reinforced my confidence in the talent and potential of young Ghanaians. Whenever I have had the opportunity to engage internationally, I have been reminded that our young people can compete and excel on any stage when they have access to the right opportunities, networks, and support systems. Those experiences have strengthened my commitment to creating pathways that help more young Africans access such opportunities.

Along the way, I have been fortunate to receive various recognitions, including being named African Youth of the Year in 2018 alongside Buumba Malambo. While I am grateful for such honours, I have never viewed them as individual accomplishments. Every achievement reflects the contributions of countless others—family members, mentors, colleagues, volunteers, partners, supporters, and friends who have invested their time, expertise, and encouragement. The same is true of this GhanaWeb Excellence Awards nomination. When I see my name among the nominees, I also see the many people who have been part of the journey and whose efforts have made any success possible.

Recently, I had another opportunity to engage with GhanaWeb in a conversation about technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and youth development, as I was interviewed for the BizTech show. Mawuli Ahorlu was the host, who I met when we as GhanaThink organized Barcamp MOBEX in 2016. I was also interviewed by Marga for a quick-fire Q&A video which is circulating on Ghanaweb’s platforms.

As I look ahead, I remain optimistic about the future of Ghana and Africa. I see tremendous potential in our young people, our entrepreneurs, our innovators, and our communities. There is still much work to be done, but there are also countless opportunities waiting to be seized. If my journey has taught me anything, it is that meaningful impact is rarely the result of a single breakthrough or headline moment. It is built through years of consistency, cultural changes, conversations, collaborations, community service hours, coaching/mentoring relationships, cultivating shared ideas, and collective effort.

For everyone who has been part of that journey— —thank you. The same platform nominating me for an award that celebrates impact in science, technology, engineering, and innovation - that was a full-circle moment. This nomination (and the celebrations of me around this) is not just about me. It is a celebration of the power of community, collaboration, and the belief that together we can build something greater than ourselves.