Ghana’s Herman Chinery-Hesse has been named as one of 20 Notable Black Innovators in Technology in the world.

Herman Chinery-Hesse who is the founder and chairman of Ghana’s leading software development company, SOFT tribe, was placed 17 on the list of 20 Notable Black Innovators in Technology.

The list was topped by Frank Greene who is considered one of the first black technologists.

Roy Clay Sr. a Silicon Valley pioneer, who worked as the research and development director of Hewlett-Packard's (HP) computer division came in second while Mark Dean, CTO for IBM Middle East and Africa was named as the third Notable Black Innovator in Technology.

Meanwhile, the first black man and woman to travel to space Guion Bluford Jr. and Mae Jemison were also named in the list as the fourth and fifth notable innovators.

Known as the “Bill Gates of Ghana”, Herman Chinery-Hesse was born in Ireland, educated in the US and moved to Ghana in 1990 to start the SOFT tribe.

He has been called "Africa's father of technology" and is often likened to Bill Gates.