Accra has taken centre stage in global finance discussions as the 64th World Congress of the ACI Financial Markets Association (ACI FMA) opened with a strong warning that innovation in financial markets cannot survive without credible regulation and macroeconomic stability.
The two-day congress, hosted by the Bank of Ghana and organised by ACI FMA, has drawn central bankers, regulators, fintech leaders, traders and financial market professionals from across Africa and beyond under the theme “Elevating Markets, Empowering People.”
At the opening session, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Johnson Pandit Asiama, delivered a firm message that financial markets built without strong regulatory foundations are destined to fail.
“Markets that lack credible regulatory architecture do not innovate faster. They fragment, they fail, and they erode trust,” he warned, stressing that regulation is not a barrier but a prerequisite for sustainable financial innovation.
The conference is focusing on digital transformation, market integrity, ethics and emerging technologies reshaping global finance, with particular attention on how developing economies are increasingly becoming innovation centres rather than passive adopters.
Dr Asiama highlighted Ghana’s progress in digital finance, pointing to mobile money integration, interoperable payment systems and QR-based transactions as evidence that African economies are driving financial innovation from the ground up.
He also revealed that Ghana’s central bank digital currency project, the eCedi, has completed its pilot phase and is now being considered for broader use in cross-border payments and wholesale settlement systems.
ACI Financial Markets Association Chair ACI Financial Markets Association, Roy Daniels, described the Accra congress as a symbolic moment for Africa, noting the continent’s rising influence in global financial market discussions.
He disclosed that Africa is emerging as a key growth region for ACI, with a growing number of countries seeking affiliation, reflecting increased demand for professional training, ethical standards and deeper market integration.
The President of ACI Ghana and ACI Africa, Lawrence Osilaja Boampong, said the return of the World Congress to Africa after nearly 20 years marks a turning point for the continent’s financial sector visibility.
He urged participants to move beyond dialogue and use the platform to build practical partnerships that can strengthen liquidity, cross-border trade and financial resilience across emerging markets.
Beyond the speeches, a key underlying message from the congress is clear: Africa’s financial future will depend not just on innovation, but on whether regulators and markets can build trust fast enough to keep pace with technology.
As discussions continue in Accra, attention is now turning to whether the continent can translate its growing fintech momentum into fully integrated and globally competitive financial markets.
