Moses Kwesi Baiden Jnr, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Margins ID Group, has called on Africa to seize a historic opportunity to transform its fortunes by embedding Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education, public policy, government regulations and private sector practice. He warned that transformation will not come from conferences and policy documents alone, but from deliberate integration into daily operations.
Speaking at the Africa Education Trust Fund (AETF) AI Conference on November 5, 2025 at the Accra International Conference Centre, Mr Baiden stated that educating Africa’s youth with AI relevant skills represents the most important step the continent can take. The conference, themed AI for Africa: Unlocking Opportunities for Education, Innovation and Sustainable Development, brought together policymakers, educators, business leaders and civil society from across the continent.
Mr Baiden emphasized that in all the revolutions that have come and gone, Africa has not participated because the continent hasn’t had the mindset, resources, strategy and tactics to move up the value chain. With 70 percent of Africa’s population under 30, the continent now has the opportunity to change its fortunes. However, despite continuous efforts to join the global technology conversation, a big gap remains between theory and practice, between policy and vision, and between commitment and funding in Africa’s current governance approach.
The Margins ID Group CEO explained that AI can process vast amounts of data rapidly, making accurate decisions with human help faster than a thousand professors in any subject matter expertise, in seconds. However, machines have critical limitations. AI is only relevant when used in the hands of subject matter experts, he stated, stressing that the quality of data is critical. Without accurate, verified data, even the most sophisticated technology cannot deliver reliable results.
Mr Baiden argued that trust has become the most valuable asset in the digital era. Ghana has already established a secure and verifiable foundation through the National Identification database, which serves as a single, trusted source of truth across both the public and private sectors. Margins ID Group partnered with the National Identification Authority to conceptualize, design, build, finance and operate the Ghana Card system, the country’s central source of verified identity.
This infrastructure provides the data backbone required to power machine driven decision making across government and business. The system has already demonstrated its value in agriculture. Using the national database, the government recently distributed subsidies directly to verified farmers, eliminating impersonation and ensuring funds reached their intended recipients. By combining this farmer data with information on logistics, market access and road infrastructure on one platform, AI can help Ghana achieve agricultural efficiency and reduce import dependency.
However, human interference continues to undermine progress. Mr Baiden identified the real enemies to data driven governance: saboteurs of economic systems, fraudsters, and those who profit from corruption and inefficiency. These actors resist transparency because data driven systems expose their activities and eliminate opportunities for exploitation.
He stressed that Ghana will not advance if citizens, policymakers and businesses do not desire a clean, virtual trust in society that removes the human element and makes decisions on data. AI has given us that ability. We need a rethink, we need a rebirth, we need a reorientation. We need a new commitment to advance the African agenda using data driven decisions and education, Mr Baiden declared.
Mina Ebela Hassan, Acting Chief of Marketing and Communications at Margins ID Group, highlighted the company’s role in bridging business and technology. The company has built infrastructure that traces every financial transaction, enabling businesses to track and prevent fraud whilst protecting their operations and services, she explained.
Other speakers at the conference included Hon Sam George, Minister for Communications, Digitalisation and Innovation, who addressed the gathering on AI’s potential to transform Ghana’s digital economy. Dr Ekwow Spio Garbrah, convener of the event and former Minister of Education, called for collaboration among government, academia, civil society and the private sector to create digital solutions that reflect Africa’s identity, priorities and ambitions.
Nii Kodjo Ashifie Papanyira, representative of the Ga Mantse, also spoke at the event, emphasizing traditional leadership’s role in supporting digital transformation initiatives. The speakers collectively called for Africa to take charge of its technological future rather than remaining passive consumers of foreign technology.
With over three decades of expertise in digitization, data warehousing, smart card technology, access control systems and digital identity solutions, Margins ID Group and its subsidiaries remain committed to strengthening Ghana’s data ecosystem. The company continues partnering with institutions to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9, which calls for legal identity for all.
Margins ID Group has emerged as Sub Saharan Africa’s largest certified identity solutions provider. The company’s flagship innovation, the Ghana Card, is now recognized internationally as a leading example of secure and inclusive digital identity, forming the backbone of Ghana’s digital transformation strategy. Under Mr Baiden’s guidance, the entire ecosystem supporting the Ghana Card has been conceptualized and executed by Ghanaians.
President John Dramani Mahama recently endorsed Margins ID Group at the 9th Ghana CEO Summit, highlighting how the Ghana Card has become the backbone of a digitally sovereign and competitive economy. He shared that other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, are looking to replicate Ghana’s model.
