Mr Herman Kojo Chinery-Hesse, a pioneering Ghanaian tech entrepreneur and founder of the SOFTtribe, has passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest.

He died on Monday evening, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as one of Africa’s leading figures in technology and innovation.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1963, Chinery-Hesse was widely regarded as “the Bill Gates of Africa” for his transformative contributions to the tech industry.

In 1991, he founded the SOFTtribe, Ghana’s oldest and largest software company, which played a key role in driving the nation’s technological advancement.

Under his visionary leadership, the SOFTtribe introduced groundbreaking solutions, including mobile-based community security systems, government payroll platforms, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and national utility billing platforms.

These innovations significantly shaped Ghana’s digital landscape.

Chinery-Hesse’s influence reached far beyond software development.

He launched “African Echoes,” a project dedicated to producing African audiobooks for a global audience, amplifying African voices and stories on the international stage.

He also served as an assessor for the Commercial Courts of Ghana, contributing to the country’s legal and economic progress.

Educated at Mfantsipim School in Ghana, Westlake High School in Texas, and Texas State University, where he earned a degree in Industrial Technology, Chinery-Hesse was a highly respected figure in the tech community. He became a sought-after speaker at world-renowned institutions like Oxford, Harvard Business School, and Wharton, and was frequently featured in global media outlets such as CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

A TED Fellow, Chinery-Hesse’s impact on the global tech world was profound, leaving an indelible mark on Ghana, Africa, and beyond. His legacy as a trailblazer in African innovation and technology will continue to inspire future generations