Category: Government Tech Policy

Government Tech Policy

What Are Africa’s Stablecoin Users Trying to Tell Its Central Banks?

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Africa is moving from debating whether crypto should be regulated to deciding how it should be regulated.
That is broadly the right direction.
Ghana is bringing virtual assets formally inside the regulatory perimeter. South Africa is incorporating crypto assets into its broader capital-flow architecture. Nigeria has moved through restriction, enforcement and towards a more formal regulatory framework.
The reasons are obvious. Consumer losses matter. Money laundering matters. Tax matters. Capital flows matter. Financial stability matters.
But I think there is another question hiding underneath the regulatory conversation.
Millions of Africans are choosing stablecoins despite uncertain protection, fraud risk and regulatory ambiguity. What exactly are they trying to buy?
Because what if part of Africa’s stablecoin boom is not really demand for crypto at all?

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Ethel Cofie Moderates Stable Coin Roundtable with 4 Cental Banks Across Africa

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Two weeks ago, Ethel Cofie had the privilege of moderating a Central Banks’ Roundtable on stablecoins with senior representatives from four African central banks: Mr. Gallington Mawire, Deputy Director of Financial Markets at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe; Mr. Isaac Muhanga, Chief Operations Officer at the Bank of Zambia; Mr. Jimmy Apaa, Director of Financial Markets at the Bank of Uganda; and Dr. Yamungu Kayandabila, Deputy Governor for Economic and Financial Policies at the Bank of Tanzania.

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What Ghana’s AI Policy Could Learn from Rwanda, Senegal, and Egypt

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Ghana Cannot Afford to Delay: Lessons from Rwanda, Senegal, and Egypt for a National AI Policy
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant aspiration.
It is fast becoming the most critical driver of productivity, competitiveness, and governance transformation.
The African Union estimates that AI and other Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies could add $1.3 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030 (PwC, 2022).
Yet, as this opportunity emerges, African nations are not moving at the same speed.
Ghana has pockets of excellence—research groups, private sector pilots, and enthusiastic startups—but it has no comprehensive, resourced national AI strategy.
This is not just a gap. It is a risk.
As the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, NITA, and other stakeholders begin conversations about a future AI policy, Ghana has an opportunity to learn from the deliberate and well-funded strategies of three African peers: Rwanda, Senegal, and Egypt.

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Positioning the Ghana Card as Foundational Digital Infrastructure: From Identity to Infrastructure

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Positioning the Ghana Card as Foundational Digital Infrastructure: From Identity to Infrastructure

The Ghana Card since its inception has been touted as the foundational digital identity for Ghana. Based on the maturity of use, I believe the Ghana Card is no longer just an identification document—it is being operationalized as core infrastructure for governance, automation, and service delivery. It reflects the state’s evolving position that identity is not merely bureaucratic—it is foundational to enabling an efficient, inclusive, and innovation-ready economy.

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The New Bank Of Ghana Corporate Governance Rules Signals a Call to Maturity for Fintech’s by the Regulator(..Is this an Africa Trend ?)

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In June 2025, the Bank of Ghana released its Corporate Governance Guidelines for Payment Service Providers. At first glance, it might seem like just another compliance update—but read between the lines, and you’ll see something deeper.
This is a call to leadership.
These guidelines don’t merely set minimum standards. They signal the central bank’s expectation that Ghana’s digital finance sector is no longer in its experimental phase. It is systemically important. And with that importance comes accountability, transparency, and—most importantly—governance maturity.
Ghana is not alone. Across Africa, fintech is growing up—and regulators are making it clear: scale must now be matched with structure.

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Bank of Ghana Governor Asiama’s Digital Finance Playbook: Quiet Revolution, Bold Stakes, and Ghana’s Fintech Future

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For all its clarity, the Governor’s strategy is still early-stage. Questions remain:
• Will the central bank invest directly in shared infrastructure, or depend on industry?
• Can digital identity initiatives integrate seamlessly with national ID systems?
• Will commercial banks respond with bold enough product pivots?
• Can government agencies align around identity and infrastructure without bureaucratic drag?

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Decoupling SIM Cards from Mobile Money: A Critical Path for Smaller Operators to Compete?

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Decoupling SIM Cards from Mobile Money: A Critical Path for Smaller Operators to Compete?
In many African markets, including Ghana and Kenya, mobile money remains tightly coupled to SIM card ownership. Your phone number is your wallet. While this integration worked brilliantly to drive initial adoption, it has also cemented the dominance of major telecom providers who control both mobile connectivity and financial access.
But what if we rethought this model? What if smaller mobile money operators could decouple SIM registration from mobile wallet ownership — allowing customers to use their services without first becoming phone service subscribers?

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Making the Case for Open Banking in Ghana: A Strategic Imperative for the Bank of Ghana

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A New Way to Power Finance in Ghana Imagine being able to use a single mobile app to see your bank accounts, mobile money wallets, savings, insurance, and even your loan eligibility—all in one place, in real-time. Now imagine that app recommending the best savings plan or offering a better loan deal from a different bank with just a few clicks. That is the power of Open Banking.

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