Members of the governing board of the Nsowah-Nuamah Statistics and Artificial Intelligence Institute (NSAI) in Accra were urged to accelerate the application of AI and data science to improve industrial development, education, and decision-making in Ghana and throughout Africa.
Dr. Alfred Sabah, the director of Kumasi Technical University’s Institute of Distance Learning and Continuing Education, swore in the seven-member board on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Professors Nicholas N. N. Nsowah-Nuamah (Chair), Ezekiel Nii Noye Nortey, Peter Quartey, Dr. Charles Owiredu, Smile Gavua Dzisi, and Kaku Sagary Nokoe are among the board members.
Professor Felix Nikoi Hammond, the Chairman of Southshore University College’s Governing Council, spoke at the event and challenged the board to convert academic knowledge into workable, technologically advanced solutions that can satisfy the needs of the contemporary global economy.
In reference to the academic achievements of Professor Nicholas Nsowah-Nuamah, who is honored by the institute’s name, he stated, “We are not only inaugurating an institute; we are formalizing a legacy of intellectual greatness.”
According to Professor Hammond, the institute should operate as a “living laboratory,” using artificial intelligence and predictive intelligence to turn decades of study into practical applications
Instead of depending only on academic grades, he asked the board to ensure that students graduate with market-ready skills and entrepreneurial talents in order to help close the gap between theory and practice.
He outlined the three main pillars of the institute’s strategic direction: a focus on high-impact skills to improve graduate employability; a venture-led pedagogy that incorporates real-world problem-solving into learning; and a portfolio-first model that prioritizes practical outputs over transcripts.
Ex Africa Nova Lux, which translates to “Out of Africa, a New Light,” is the institute’s guiding principle, which highlights the continent as a wellspring of creativity, knowledge, and future global leadership, according to Professor Hammond.
In order to maintain the institute’s alignment with international standards while using data and technology to address African concerns, he urged the board to cultivate ties with business and international organizations.
“Let us keep in mind that our goal is to transform data into destiny as we wrap up,” he remarked. “Let this institute get to work.”
Professor Kaku Sagary Nokoe is a biometrician and academic from Ghana with almost fifty years of experience in academic leadership, teaching, and research.
He is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and has made important contributions to statistical modeling, biometry, and its uses in public health, forestry, and agriculture.
He has served in a number of top leadership roles, such as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research) at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Kenya and Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS).
Professor Nokoe has an MF and PhD in Mensuration/Biometry from the University of British Columbia in Canada, as well as a BSc in Natural Resource Management from the University of Ibadan.
His work has been published in internationally renowned journals and encyclopedias and focuses on statistical computing, biomathematical modeling, and applied statistics.
At the moment, he is the Chairman of the Koforidua Technical University Council.
Smile Gavua Dzisi, Professor
With almost thirty years of expertise in teaching, administration, and institutional development, Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi is a Ghanaian academic and education leader.
She started off as a teacher at St. Rose’s Senior High School before rising to the position of Ghana’s first female polytechnic rector.
Later, she led Koforidua Technical University’s transformation from a polytechnic to a technical university while serving as vice-chancellor. Additionally, she presided over the Data Link Institute of Business and Technology.
Professor Dzisi has a PhD in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Ghana, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
She presently holds the positions of Chair of the Council of Ho Technical University and Deputy Director-General (Management Services) at the Ghana Education Service.
Dr. Charles Owiredu is a researcher, academic administrator, and educator from Ghana with a wealth of experience in research, institutional development, and higher education.
At the moment, he works in strategy and research as a Senior Lecturer at Central University’s Daniel Institute.
Dr. Owiredu has served in a number of high-level leadership positions, such as vice president for academic affairs, provost, and president of the institution.
Curriculum development, academic policy creation, strategic planning, and accreditation procedures are among his areas of specialization.
He has been instrumental in the founding and growth of five private universities in Ghana.
Peter Quartey, a professor
Ghanaian economist Professor Peter Quartey has over 24 years of experience in monetary and financial sector policy, private sector development, and development finance.
He has an MSc in Quantitative Development Economics from the University of Warwick and a PhD in Development Economics from the University of Manchester.
At the moment, Professor Quartey serves as Executive Director of the Retail Finance Distribution Network Initiative and Acting Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD).
He was previously the head of the University of Ghana’s Department of Economics and the Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social, and Economic Research (ISSER).
He has been a visiting scholar at organizations like the Brookings Institution and the International Monetary Fund, and he has written over 80 peer-reviewed articles.
Ezekiel Nii Noye Nortey, Professor
Currently on sabbatical at Southshore University College, Professor Ezekiel Nii Noye Nortey is an associate professor of statistics at the University of Ghana.
In addition, he is the Nsowah-Nuamah Statistics and Artificial Intelligence Institute’s director.
Statistical modeling, predictive analytics, survey technique, and applied econometrics are among his areas of specialization.
After earning an MPhil in Statistics and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Ghana, Professor Nortey earned his PhD in Statistics in 2011.
He has overseen and contributed to research initiatives for organizations such as the Students’ Loan Trust Fund, UNICEF, UNDP, and the Ghana Statistical Service.
