A National Research and Education Network (NREN) is a specialized Internet service provider dedicated to supporting the needs of the research and education communities within a country. The establishment of National Research and Education Networks (RENs) is a global phenomenon for sharing relevant research and education content.

The origins of the Ghanaian Academic and Research Network (GARNET) can be traced back to 1995 when the idea was mooted. It only took a recognized significance in November 2006 at the end of a three-day workshop held by the Association of African Universities (AAU) in Accra to facilitate more effective integration of ICT into higher education’s core mandate of teaching, learning, research, and information management.