The Ghanaian Academic and Research Network (GARNET) has connected over 100 sites to its high-speed, reliable, and affordable network. This was announced at the recent GARNET Conference and AGM 2024 at the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra.

In 2023 alone, 69 new connections were established under the eTransform Project (funded by the World Bank). These included three enhancements to the 34 already connected institutions for improved performance, bringing the total number of connected sites to over 100.

This growing interest in GARNET underscores the value of its services and the importance of a unified academic and research network that connects public and private higher education institutions and research centres. 

GARNET’s total bandwidth capacity remains at 10Gbps, with average consumption hovering around 7.5Gbps. At the start of 2023, the Board approved a price reduction despite the challenges of unfavourable last-mile connectivity costs.

The CEO, Lucas Chigabatia, announced the successful completion of the setup of the GARNET Identity Federation. He added that a membership application had been submitted to eduGAIN, the global federation of national and regional federations. To support its members, the secretariat organised specialised training workshops and enlisted internal experts to assist institutions in deploying their identity management systems. 

Amidst challenges, the GARNET Tertiary Mobile Data grew steadily to approximately 2,800 users. To support the increasing demand, the backhaul capacity was upgraded from 155Mbps to 310Mbps.. 

WACREN congratulates GARNET on its impact in Ghana

The CEO of WACREN, Dr. Boubakar Barry, led a delegation to attend the GARNET Conference. The delegation included the GAMREN (The Gambia NREN) representative, Dr. Mbemba Hydara, the Finance and Administrative Officer of WACREN, Ivan Yeboah and the Communication and Marketing Officer, Effah Amponsah. Dr. Barry congratulated GARNET for striving to contribute immensely to advancing research, science and innovation in Ghana through research infrastructure and advanced services.

Prof. Quaynor heads GARNET’s new Board.

Professor Nii Narku Quaynor, widely recognised as the ‘father of the Internet in Africa,’ has succeeded Emeritus Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, who commendably served as Board Chair for two terms since 2018. Prof. Tagoe’s leadership was instrumental in ensuring GARNET’s growth and sustainability, guiding the organisation through numerous vital milestones.

Three highly distinguished professionals—Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Teki Akuetteh, and Vesta Akosua Adutwumwaa Nunoo—are joining Professor Quaynor on the board. Their collective expertise in academia, law, governance, and finance is anticipated to significantly bolster GARNET’s strategic direction and impact within the academic and research communities.

Dr. Sena Kpeglo-Freiku, Executive Secretary of the Vice Chancellors Ghana Secretariat, officiated the swearing-in ceremony. During the event, the outgoing Chairman, Professor Nii Boi Tagoe, proudly reflected on his tenure, highlighting GARNET’s progress under his leadership. He underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in advancing the network’s mission.

In his acceptance speech, Professor Nii Narku Quaynor, a former WACREN Chair, expressed deep gratitude for the confidence placed in him to lead GARNET. He acknowledged the significant achievements of the outgoing Board and reaffirmed his commitment to building on their legacy. “It is a privilege to assume this role at such a crucial time in GARNET’s history.

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