The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the Digital Chamber of Ghana have underscored the need for stronger policy collaboration and regulatory alignment to enable cross-border digital payments — a move they say is crucial for driving Africa’s digital and economic integration.
Speaking to Citi Business News on the sidelines of a business forum in Accra, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Mrs. Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, said Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem has reached a stage where extending interoperability beyond national borders must become a key priority.
She explained that while Ghana has been a trailblazer in mobile money and domestic payment interoperability, regional connectivity remains limited — a gap that must be addressed if the continent is to achieve seamless trade and financial inclusion under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Ghana has advanced quite significantly within our mobile money and financial services space,” Mrs. Owusu-Ankomah said. “The next step is ensuring that our systems talk to one another across borders — that’s how we’ll create real value for businesses and consumers across Africa.”
She added that cross-border interoperability would not only enhance the efficiency of financial transactions but also build trust among users by strengthening security and credibility across digital platforms.
According to her, the Chamber and its members are already engaging with regulators, financial service providers, and policymakers to design the right frameworks to make regional integration in the digital finance space a reality.
“As members of the Digital Chamber of Ghana, we are working collaboratively to shape the policy environment. The conversations are ongoing, and it’s encouraging to see growing interest from both public and private sector stakeholders,” she noted.
Mrs. Owusu-Ankomah stressed that advancing cross-border interoperability would position Ghana as a regional leader in digital trade and support broader continental efforts to deepen economic integration.
By linking digital payment systems across African countries, she said, businesses — particularly small and medium enterprises — would gain easier access to regional markets, ultimately driving inclusive growth and competitiveness.
The Chamber’s call aligns with the broader vision of the AfCFTA, which seeks to remove barriers to intra-African trade and harness digital technology as a catalyst for economic transformation.
