Our Commitment to Responsible AI: The Npontu Technologies AI Charter
Published: October 2025 |
At Npontu Technologies, we believe artificial intelligence has the power to transform lives, empower communities, and drive progress across Africa and beyond. As the creators of Snwolley AI and a leading AI company in Ghana, we recognize that this power comes with profound responsibility.
Today, we’re sharing our AI Charter—a public commitment to developing AI that is ethical, transparent, inclusive, and aligned with African values. This charter reflects not just our aspirations, but our daily practices and the standards we hold ourselves accountable to.
Who We Are
The name “Npontu” comes from the Akan language of Ghana, symbolizing interconnection and collective progress. This philosophy guides everything we do. We’re not just building AI technology; we’re building technology that understands Africa, serves African needs, and amplifies African voices on the global stage.
Our flagship product, Snwolley AI, embodies this mission. It’s designed to work in African contexts—understanding our languages, addressing our challenges, and creating opportunities for our people.
Our Vision: AI for Africa, by Africans
We envision an Africa where AI doesn’t just follow global trends but leads them. Where our languages, cultures, and contexts shape how AI develops. Where the benefits of AI reach every community—from Accra to rural villages, from established businesses to aspiring entrepreneurs.
But vision without values is empty. That’s why our charter establishes eight core principles that guide every line of code we write, every product we launch, and every partnership we forge.
The Eight Principles
1. Accountability: We Take Responsibility
What it means: When you use our AI, you can trust that someone stands behind it. We don’t hide behind complexity or claim “the algorithm did it.” We take full responsibility for what our AI systems do and the impacts they have.
How we practice it:
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- Every AI project undergoes a comprehensive impact assessment before development begins
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- We have a dedicated AI Ethics Officer and Ethics Committee that review all major decisions
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- We conduct quarterly reviews of our AI systems’ real-world performance
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- When things go wrong, we have clear protocols to respond quickly and fix issues
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- We maintain detailed documentation of why we made specific design choices
Real example: Before launching any new feature in Snwolley AI, we ask: “Who could this affect? How might it help them? How might it harm them? What safeguards do we need?” Only when we have satisfactory answers do we proceed.
2. Transparency: No Black Boxes
What it means: We believe people have the right to understand the AI systems that affect their lives. While AI can be complex, we commit to explaining what our systems do, how they work, and what their limitations are—in plain language that doesn’t require a PhD to understand.
How we practice it:
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- We clearly disclose when you’re interacting with AI, not a human
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- We explain how Snwolley AI makes decisions in ways that make sense to non-technical users
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- We publish an annual Transparency Report detailing our AI activities, challenges, and learnings
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- We provide accessible channels for anyone to ask questions about our AI systems
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- We’re open about what our AI can’t do, not just what it can
Real example: Every Snwolley AI interaction begins with a clear notice that you’re using AI. Our documentation explains not just what the system does, but its limitations and when human judgment might be needed.
3. Fairness: AI for Everyone
What it means: Ghana and Africa are beautifully diverse—in languages, cultures, ethnicities, and experiences. Our AI must serve everyone equitably, not just privileged groups. We actively work to identify and eliminate biases that could lead to unfair treatment.
How we practice it:
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- We test Snwolley AI across different demographic groups to ensure equal quality of service
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- We deliberately collect diverse, representative data that includes marginalized communities
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- We conduct regular “fairness audits” to check for disparities in how the system performs
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- When we find inequities, we fix them—even if it means rebuilding major components
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- We engage directly with communities to understand their specific concerns about fairness
Real example: We’re building Snwolley AI to work equally well whether you’re speaking Twi, Ga, Ewe, or English. Whether you’re in Accra or a rural community. Whether you’re 18 or 80. Equal quality of service isn’t just a goal—it’s a requirement we measure and enforce.
4. Privacy: Your Data, Your Control
What it means: In an age where data is currency, we believe your personal information belongs to you. We collect only what we truly need, protect it rigorously, and give you control over how it’s used.
How we practice it:
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- Full compliance with Ghana’s Data Protection Act and international privacy standards
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- Data minimization—we don’t collect information we don’t actually need
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- Strong encryption and security measures to protect your data from breaches
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- Clear, understandable privacy policies (no fine print designed to confuse)
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- You can access, correct, or delete your data at any time
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- We prioritize storing data locally in Africa when appropriate
Real example: When Snwolley AI processes your information, we keep only what’s essential for the service you’re using. We don’t sell your data, we don’t share it without permission, and we certainly don’t use it for purposes you haven’t agreed to.
5. Safety: Built to Be Reliable
What it means: AI systems need to work reliably and safely in real-world conditions. They should fail gracefully when they do fail, and critical decisions should always have human oversight.
How we practice it:
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- Rigorous testing before any AI system goes live
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- Continuous monitoring for failures, errors, or unexpected behaviour
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- Cyber security measures to protect against malicious attacks
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- Human oversight requirements for high-stakes decisions
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- Rapid response protocols when safety issues arise
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- “Fail-safes” that prevent AI from making decisions beyond its capabilities
Real example: Our systems maintain over 99.5% uptime, but when issues occur, our team is alerted within an hour and responds within 24 hours for critical problems. And if Snwolley AI encounters a situation it’s uncertain about, it says so rather than guessing.
6. Human-Centered Design: People First
What it means: AI should augment human capabilities, not replace human judgment. It should respect human dignity, support human values, and keep humans firmly in control of important decisions.
How we practice it:
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- We design interfaces that help humans make better decisions, not abdicate responsibility
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- We build in warnings against “automation bias”—over-trusting AI outputs
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- We ensure meaningful human oversight, especially for consequential decisions
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- We regularly conduct user research to understand how people actually interact with our AI
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- We train users on both the capabilities and limitations of our systems
Real example: Snwolley AI is designed as your assistant, not your replacement. It provides information and suggestions, but you make the final call. We deliberately design it to support your judgment, not substitute for it.
7. Inclusiveness: Nobody Left Behind
What it means: AI should be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, education level, technical skill, or where they live. We’re committed to building AI that works for all Ghanaians and Africans, not just the digitally privileged.
How we practice it:
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- Accessibility features for people with disabilities
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- Support for multiple Ghanaian and African languages, not just English
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- Designs that work on basic phones and in low-bandwidth environments
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- User interfaces suitable for varying literacy levels
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- Partnerships with communities to understand and address barriers to AI access
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- Free AI literacy programs for underserved communities
Real example: We’re developing Snwolley AI to support over 20 African languages by 2026. We’re optimizing it to work on mobile devices with limited internet connectivity. Because AI should be for everyone, not just those with the latest smartphones and unlimited data.
8. Sustainability: Building for the Long Term
What it means: AI development has environmental impacts, and AI applications should contribute to solving societal challenges, not creating new ones. We commit to sustainable AI that supports Africa’s development goals.
How we practice it:
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- Energy-efficient AI models that minimize environmental footprint
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- “Green AI” research to reduce computational resource requirements
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- Alignment of our AI projects with UN Sustainable Development Goals
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- Development of AI solutions for climate action and environmental protection
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- Consideration of long-term societal impacts in all AI projects
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- Support for Ghana’s and Africa’s broader development priorities
Real example: We measure and work to reduce the carbon footprint of our AI operations. We’re developing AI tools to support sustainable agriculture, renewable energy adoption, and climate resilience—technology that contributes to the future we want to see.
How We Put Principles Into Practice
Principles are meaningless without implementation. Here’s how we turn values into action:
Independent Oversight
We’ve established an AI Ethics Committee that includes not just our own experts, but external voices from academia, civil society, and affected communities. This committee has real power—they can approve or reject AI projects, investigate concerns, and require changes to our systems.
Impact Assessment for Every Project
Before we build any AI system, we conduct a comprehensive impact assessment. We identify who will be affected, how they might benefit, what risks exist, and how we’ll mitigate those risks. No project proceeds without Ethics Committee approval.
Continuous Monitoring
Deployment isn’t the finish line—it’s the starting line for ongoing monitoring. We track our AI systems’ real-world performance, collect user feedback, conduct regular audits, and make improvements based on what we learn.
Transparency in Action
Every year, we publish a detailed Transparency Report sharing what we’ve built, what challenges we’ve faced, what we’ve learned, and how we’re improving. We host public forums where stakeholders can ask questions and share concerns directly with our leadership.
Accountability Mechanisms
We maintain clear channels for anyone to report concerns about our AI systems. We investigate every report, respond transparently, and take corrective action when needed. Our AI Ethics Officer is personally accountable for ensuring we live up to our commitments.
Our Commitment to Ghana and Africa
As a Ghanaian company, we have a special responsibility to our home country and continent. We commit to:
Supporting Local Talent: We’re partnering with Ghanaian universities to develop AI education programs. We’re providing internships and training opportunities. We’re working to achieve gender parity in our AI teams by 2027.
Addressing African Challenges: We’re developing AI solutions for agriculture, healthcare, education, and financial inclusion—challenges that matter to African lives.
Building African Languages: We’re investing in natural language processing for Ghanaian and African languages, ensuring our tech represents our linguistic diversity.
Promoting African Innovation: We’re contributing to open-source projects, publishing research, and collaborating with African institutions to advance AI capabilities across the continent.
Creating Shared Prosperity: We believe AI’s benefits should be broadly shared. We’re committed to accessible pricing, partnerships with social enterprises, and initiatives that ensure marginalized communities benefit from AI advances.
The Road Ahead: Continuous Improvement
This charter isn’t set in stone. AI technology evolves rapidly, and so must our approach to governing it. We commit to:
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- Annual Review: We’ll review and update this charter every year
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- Learning from Mistakes: When we fall short, we’ll acknowledge it, learn from it, and do better
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- Engaging Stakeholders: We’ll continue consulting with users, communities, regulators, and civil society
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- Contributing to Global Dialogue: We’ll share our learnings and learn from others in the global AI community
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- Staying Humble: We don’t have all the answers, and we know we’ll face challenges we haven’t anticipated
Join Us in This Journey
Responsible AI isn’t something we can achieve alone. It requires collaboration, dialogue, and collective effort. We invite you to be part of this journey:
For Users: Share your experiences, report concerns, and help us understand how AI affects your life.
For Communities: Engage with us in consultations, pilot programs, and feedback sessions.
For Researchers: Collaborate with us on advancing AI ethics research and practice.
For Policymakers: Work with us to develop frameworks that promote innovation while protecting people.
For Industry Partners: Join us in advocating for responsible AI practices across the sector.
Our Promise
At Npontu Technologies, we promise to:
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- Hold ourselves accountable to these principles every single day
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- Be transparent about both our successes and our failures
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- Put people before profits when the two conflict
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- Listen to and learn from the communities we serve
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- Contribute to making Africa a leader in responsible AI
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- Never stop working to earn and maintain your trust
AI will shape our future. Let’s ensure it’s a future we want—one where technology serves humanity, respects our values, and creates opportunities for all.
Want to Know More?
This charter provides an overview of our commitments. For comprehensive details, technical specifications, and implementation frameworks, please see our full AI Governance and Framework Policy.
Have questions or concerns? We’re here to listen:
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- Ethics concerns: ethics@npontu.com
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- Privacy inquiries: privacy@npontu.com
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- General feedback: stakeholders@npontu.com
Follow our journey:
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- Annual Transparency Reports
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- Regular blog updates on AI development
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- Quarterly stakeholder forums
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- Social media: @NpontuTech
This charter represents Npontu Technologies’ public commitment to responsible AI development. It’s grounded in our comprehensive AI Governance and Framework Policy, informed by international standards, and shaped by African contexts and values. We welcome your feedback as we continue this journey together.
© 2024 Npontu Technologies. Building AI for Africa, responsibly.
