A landmark moment unfolded in Accra as AIMS Ghana hosted Africa’s first-ever Quantum Hackathon (Quantathon), placing young innovators at the heart of the global quantum revolution. From 8 –11 July 2025, the Centre organized the AIMS Quantum Technology Education (QTEdu) Global Event, serving as a platform for collaborative action under the theme: “Accelerating Capacity Building to Advance Quantum Science & Technology.”

Key activities that formed part of the QTEdu Global Event included:

• The AIMS Quantum Hackathon (Quantathon), held in partnership with the Open Quantum Institute (OQI)

• The Global Quantum Science & Technology Education Workshop

• A Public Lecture and Keynote Panel on Quantum Science & Technology

Led by Dr. Price K. Osei, AIMS Ghana’s Centre President and Director for Quantum Leap Africa (QLA), the Quantathon was designed with a clear mission to create meaningful opportunities for African students to engage in quantum education and to challenge them to develop applications that could contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on the Open Quantum Institute Educational Consortium’s “Hackathon in a Box” toolkit, the 3-day event blended practical experimentation with theoretical learning, to guide students to think creatively about quantum algorithms that could support sustainable development.

The AIMS Quantum Technology Education (QTEdu) 2025 program unfolded as a rich series of activities bringing together young innovators and key experts for scientific talks, keynote addresses, and team ideation. The QTEdu Global Event featured insights from Ian Walmsley (Provost, Imperial College London), Philipp Kammerlander (Open Quantum Institute) and Trond Andersen (Google Quantum), among others, before culminating in final presentations and awards at the Marriott Hotel.

Running alongside this, the QTEdu Workshop at the Google AI Lab hosted panels and deep-dive sessions with experts like Karen Hallberg, Jonathan Oppenheim, Marcelo Terra Cunha and Maité Dupuis on building a quantum-ready workforce. The program concluded on 11 July with a high-profile public lecture at the University of Ghana, where Professor Jonathan Oppenheim delivered the keynote “Our Quantum Future,” followed by a panel with Angela Tabiri and Prince K. Osei, engaging policymakers, researchers, and the public. Across these activities, spanning technical training, innovation, and thought leadership, AIMS Ghana positioned Africa at the forefront of the global quantum technology movement.

Over three days, seven multidisciplinary teams worked intensively on real-world problem-solving, addressing areas ranging from healthcare to access to clean water. The winning team, Qualaria (Quantum Leap Against Malaria), impressed the judges with a quantum simulation approach designed to fast-track drug development for malaria, a disease that continues to affect millions across Africa. For their innovative and impact-driven solution, Qualaria also received the sustainability award. The team included Ndam Abibou, Dorcas Seshie, Astride Melvin Fokam Ninyim, Prince Dorcis and Augustina Agyeman.

For AIMS Ghana, the Quantathon was more than just a competition, it was a milestone in demonstrating how Africa can take a leading role in shaping the future of emerging technologies. By empowering young people with cutting-edge knowledge and tools, AIMS continues to build capacity, nurture talent and create pathways for African youth to contribute to solving global problems through science and innovation.

The week’s activities reaffirmed AIMS Ghana’s position as a Centre for excellence in mathematical sciences and its commitment to ensuring that transformative technologies like quantum computing are developed inclusively and for the benefit of society. As AIMS and its partners look to the future, the Quantathon stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved when education, innovation, and collaboration come together to tackle global challenges from an African perspective.

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