ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
They empower households—particularly underserved communities —with reliable and affordable financial services.
For governments, they improve revenue mobili sation, transparency, and targeting of public interventions.
For financial institutions, they unlock data that can drive innovation in credit, savings, and risk management.
Yet progress across Africa remains uneven.
No instant payment system has fully achieved inclusivity at scale.
This underscores a central reality: building infrastructure is not enough —we must ensure that it works universally and equitably.
Central banks have established strong regulatory foundations, but regulation alone cannot deliver integration.
What is required now is coordinated execution across the ecosystem.
Regulators, payment system operators, financial institutions, and fintechs must work in concert to build interoperable systems that eliminate friction and expand reach.
This calls for focused reforms.
We must streamline and harmonise eKYC frameworks to reduce onboarding barriers.
We must align licensing regimes to enable innovation while maintaining stability.
And we must deepen cross-border cooperation to support interoperability and payment system linkages across jurisdictions.
In Ghana, we have made tangible progress, including the deployment of multiple instant payment platforms and ongoing efforts to strengthen inter -scheme interoperability.
However, our ambition goes further.
The objective is not simply to build systems, but to ensure that they are accessible, affordable, and trusted by every segment of society.
Colleagues, the principle is straightforward: a payment system that excludes cannot serve as economic infrastructure.
If instant payments are to underpin Africa’s digital future, they must function seamlessly for all users, across all platforms, in real time.
Let us therefore act with urgency and purpose.
Let us move beyond fragmentation to full interoperability.
Let us create systems that are inclusive by design and efficient by default.
And let us work together —across institutions and across borders—to delive r the integrated payment infrastructure that our economies require.
The path is clear, the technology is available, and the benefits are substantial.
What is needed now is commitment and execution.
Let us commit here at the 3i Africa Summit, to accelerating the development of inclusive instant payment systems that support growth, deepen inclusion, and strengthen economic resilience across Africa.
Thank you, and welcome to Ghana.
3i Africa Summit 2026: Enforcing Africa’s Next Frontier in Digital Finance Remarks by Dr.
Johnson Pandit Asiama Governor, Bank of Ghana Destiny Arena | Wednesday, 6 May 2026 Her Excellency, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Honourable Ministers, Governors of Central Banks here represented, Industry Leaders and Innovators, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning to you all.
It is indeed a joy to be here at the second edition of the 3i Africa Summit, hosted by the Bank of Ghana in partnership with the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
I commend the organisers who have worked tirelessly to put this remarkable summit together.
From the short video that was played before I got up to this podium, it is clear that the 3i Africa Summit has made a significant mark on the global financial landscape, from the maiden edition in 2024 to the policy dialogue organised last year.
What is equally clear is that we are now at a point where progress must translate into scale, and access must translate into value.
The Strategic Importance of This Moment On the foundations of Innovation, Investment and Impact, our goal must be to ensure that these pillars are not only articulated, but effectively aligned through strong partnerships and sustained investment.
This Summit is therefore more than a gathering of regulators, innovators and investors.
It is a signal of where Africa must now go.
Digital finance is no longer at the margins of financial sector development.
It is central to how value is created, how trust is built, how markets are connected, and how economies compete.
The decisions and partnerships that emerge from forums such as this will determine whether Africa merely participates in the next phase of finance, or helps to shape it.
Africa has made steady progress in expanding access to finance.
A recent World Bank report indicates that approximately 49 percent of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa now have access to digital financial accounts.
Africa is not starting from zero.
We are starting from momentum.
This is progress.
But it also signals a transition.
Access has expanded.
The task now is to make it count.
For a long time, this progress has been driven by mobile money and branchless banking models, bringing financial services closer to underserved populations.
It is now being reinforced by broader technological developments, including digital credit, digital trade, and evolving MSME financing models.
Defining the Next Phase of Digital Finance Ladies and Gentlemen, this progress points to an important shift.
The next phase of digital finance will not be defined by payments alone.
Across our markets, the basic payment infrastructure is increasingly in place.
The opportunity now lies in building the next layer of value.
• Digital credit.
• Merchant payments.
• Embedded finance.
• Supply chain finance.
• Cross-border services.
Financial products that respond to the realities of women, MSMEs, young people, and the informal sector.
Our challenge is to create the conditions for this next generation of financial services to grow responsibly and at scale.
The constraints we face are now clearer.
The issue is no longer access alone.
It is fragmentation.
It is cost.
It is uneven regulatory alignment.
The challenge is no longer building systems.
It is connecting them.
What is required is greater clarity in how we define our priorities, and stronger coordination in how we implement them.
In this context, regulation must remain firm.
It must protect the public, safeguard the integrity of the financial system, and preserve stability.
At the same time, it must be enabling.
It must support responsible innovation and allow markets to develop in a structured and predictable manner.
Regulation and growth are not opposing forces.
They must reinforce each other.
Bank of Ghana’s Approach At the Bank of Ghana, we have taken a deliberate approach.
Our objective has been clear: to build a regulatory and market environment that supports innovation, while maintaining stability and trust.
This is reflected in the steps we have taken to strengthen the framework for digital finance.
• Advancing the regulatory regime for virtual assets.
• Issuing guidelines for digital credit.
• Progressing open banking.
• Supporting cross-border fintech activity.
These are not isolated initiatives.
They are part of a coherent effort to ensure that the financial system evolves in a way that is structured, predictable, and capable of supporting innovation at scale.
However, the work ahead is not only about issuing laws, guidelines and frameworks.
It is about strengthening the service infrastructure around regulation.
Processes must be clear.
Submissions must be trackable.
Decisions must be timely.
This is how confidence is built.
Confidence will also depend on the str ength of our digital identity and KYC frameworks.
Weak authentication increases fraud risk, affects credit quality, and undermines trust in digital financial services.
The next phase will require stronger coordination across institutions, improved data quality, and more robust identity systems.
We must also focus on the development of indigenous firms.
Africa’s digital finance ecosystem must not only grow.
It must mature.
Firms with strong potential must have access to the partnerships, capital, and infrastructure required to scale sustainably.
A strong financial system is not defined by activity alone.
It is defined by discipline, transparency, and competitiveness.
From Conversation to Impact Ladies and Gentlemen, the value of this Summit will not be measured by the conversations we have, but by the outcomes we drive.
Stronger alignment across markets.
Better coordination across regulators.
And faster progress toward financial systems that are inclusive, innovative, and capable of operating at scale.
This requires deliberate action from all of us-regulators, industry, and partners alike.
The question before us is straightforward.
Will Africa simply adopt the next phase of finance, or will Africa help to shape it?
Africa has reached a point where participation is no longer the ambition.
Leadership is.
The answer will depend on how deliberately we act, how effectively we coordinate, and how consistently we execute.
On this note, I welcome you to the second edition of the 3i Africa Summit and wish you productive and impactful engagements.
God bless Ghana.
God bless Africa.
BREAKFAST MEETING WITH LICENSED FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTIONS SPEECH BY DR.
JOHNSON PANDIT ASIAMA GOVERNOR, BANK OF GHANA 23 APRIL 2026 First Deputy Governor, Chief Executive Officers of licensed Fintechs, Heads of Department, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Let me begin with a simple but essential observation: Ghana’s digital financial ecosystem did not evolve by accident.
It was built deliberately by entrepreneurs willing to challenge convention, by institutions prepared to modernise, and by a regulator determined to ensure that innovation serves the public good.
Fintech Growth, Scale, and Trust 3.
Over the last decade, Ghana has emerged as a continental reference point for digital payments and financial innovation: • Mobile money has become a daily utility, • Interoperable instant payments are our reality, whereas they are yet to be implemented in other countries.
• Fintechs are delivering services to millions who were once financially excluded.
However, with scale comes crucial consequences.
With innovative financial services, such as yours, it must be supported by adequate governance, resilience, and public trust.
At the Bank of Ghana, we have recognised three essential truths: • Unregulated scale creates systemic risk even when intentions are good; • Innovation without consumer protection ultimately undermines inclusion; and • Speed without safeguards weakens confidence in the financial system.
We have recently passed the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act 1154).
Our objective with this Act is not to legitimise speculation, nor to suppress innovation, but to bring clarity, accountability, and transparency.
In doing so, we are sending a clear signal that innovation is welcome in Ghana, but it must operate within a framework that protects users, preserves confidence, and safeguards the integrity of the financial system.
Equally important in our reform journey is the Directive for Digital Credit Services Providers, which responds to the rapid growth of digital lending and app-based credit delivery.
Our vision is not to constrain credit innovation, but to ensure that digital lending in Ghana is fair and sustainable.
The Directive therefore seeks to rebalance innovation with responsibility.
In parallel, the revised Cyber and Information Security Directive (CISD), 2026, responds to the reality that digital finance is now inseparable from cyber resilience.
We are also onboarding fintechs onto the Financial Industry Command Security Operations Centre, FICSOC, in recognition that cyber threats do not respect institutional boundaries and cannot be addressed in silos.
I encourage you to continue cooperating with the technical team in this endeavour.
Across the world, regulators are grappling with Virtual assets, Tokenisation, Open Banking and Cross -border digital payments , among other emerging themes in payments.
I was recently in America encouraging our brothers and sisters to remit -to- invest in Ghana, because we are working to ensure that when a Ghanaian in Washington or elsewhere decides to invest in Ghana , whether in government securities, SMEs, Fintech, real estate, or infrastructure—the pathway is seamless, credible, and rewarding.
To achieve this, we are implementing several measures, including: • Structured Products: Exploring diaspora bonds and foreign-currency- denominated investment vehicles.
• Digital Innovation: Using Fintech, blockchain, and tokeni sation to lower the cost of sending money and improve transaction security.
• Formal Channels: Strengthening transparency in the foreign exchange market and improving data reporting.
We count on your collaboration and support to achieve this vision.
Open banking represents the next frontier of Ghana’s digital financial evolution to empower consumers with control over their data while enabling Fintechs and financial institutions to build new value -driven services.
By enabling secure, consent-based data sharing, we are laying the foundation for a more competitive, innovative, and customer-centric financial ecosystem.
On cross-border innovations, we have commenced implementation of the Licence Passporting Framework with Rwanda , and I am happy that two Ghanaian entities have already taken advantage of this opportunity to expand their operations into East Africa through a pilot.
Call to Action—A Partnership for the Future 13.
As regulators, our role is not to slow innovation, but to ensure it endures.
And so I ask of you to: • Engage early with the regulator, • Invest in governance as seriously as growth, • Treat consumer trust as a strategic asset, • See regulation not as an obstacle, but as a passport to scale.
Let me use this opportunity to reiterate that we are not only your regulators , but your cheerleaders as well, and there is no other way to showcase that than the 3i Africa Summit platform that the Bank has intentionally curated with its Partners, GFTN and GHIPSS, to showcase how your innovations are driving impact in Ghana and beyond.
Finally, let me encourage all of us to be frank and practical , as we engage this morning.
Let us focus on what is working, where the bottlenecks remain, and how we can collectively move from good ideas to real outcomes.
Thank you once again for taking the time to be here.
I look forward to the conversations ahead.
BREAKFAST MEETING WITH LICENSED FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTIONS Welcome Remarks by Dr.
Zakari Mumuni First Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana 23 April Governor, Chief Executive Officers of licensed Fintechs, Heads of Department, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you for joining us for breakfast.
I am glad to see such a strong group of Fintech leaders around the table today.
We thought a breakfast setting was appropriate because conversations about Fintech work best when they are practical, relaxed, and forward-looking.
This forum is not about speeches; it is about listening, sharing experiences, and having an honest exchange about where Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem is headed and what we need to do together to make it work better.
A little over ten years ago, a Ghanaian farmer in the Northern Region had no bank account, no credit history, and no path to formal finance.
Today, that same farmer can save, borrow, and insure against drought — from a mobile phone.
That transformation did not happen by accident.
It happened because innovators in this room dared to reimagine what financial services could look like, and regulators chose to work with you rather than against you.
That is the story of Ghana’s digital finance revolution — and this morning, we are here to write its next chapter.
There is no doubt that digital finance has fundamentally changed the way financial services are delivered in Ghana.
Fintechs and mobile money platforms now sit at the centre of financial activity for households and businesses alike.
This is a reality we all live with every day, and it presents both opportunities and responsibilities for regulators, innovators, and incumbents.
At the same time, we must recognise that progress is uneven.
While access to digital financial services has expanded significantly, many users are still not benefiting fully from credit, savings, insurance, or other value -adding financial products.
So, the real question before us is not just how to scale technology, but how to ensure that innovation delivers meaningful economic value and financial security.
From the perspective of the Bank of Ghana, our role is to create the right environment for innovation to thrive.
That means supporting shared digital infrastructure, strengthening digital identity systems, and maintaining a regulatory framework that encour ages responsible experimentation without compromising trust or stability.
At the Bank of Ghana, we do not see Fintechs as peripheral players.
We see you as architects of a new financial order — one that is faster, more inclusive, and more innovative.
Let me close with this thought: the countries that will lead the next decade of economic growth are not necessarily those with the most resources, but those with the most agile financial systems — systems built on trust, data, and innovation.
Ghana has the ambition.
You have the ingenuity.
And together, we have the resolve.
Let us make this conversation count.
Welcome to the Bank of Ghana and thank you once again for making the time to be here.
I look forward to the conversations ahead, and I wish us all a productive and engaging session.
MAIDEN DIASPORA ROUNDTABLE – DMV AREA Opening Remarks by Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, Governor, Bank of Ghana 19 April 2026 Her Excellency, the Deputy Ambassador to the United States, Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Our Executives and banking partners participating virtually from Ghana, Esteemed members of the Ghanaian diaspora, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, It is my distinct honour and privilege to convene this maiden Diaspora Remittance Roundtable here in the DMV – spanning Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia – a region that represents not only the administrative heart of the United States, but also a vibrant hub of global policy, finance, innovation, and diaspora excellence.
I bring you warm greetings from Ghana and from the Bank of Ghana as we begin this structured, intentional, and results -oriented engagement with one of Ghana’s most valuable national assets – the diaspora.
The choice of the DMV area is deliberate and strategic.
This region hosts one of the largest and most economically vibrant Ghanaian diaspora communities.
Beyond this, the diaspora community here, and in the United States in general, have built a reputation for excellence, discipline, and enterprise.
You are entrepreneurs, financiers, technologists, healthcare professionals and policy influencers.
You are not merely participants in the global economy, you are shapers of it.
The concentration of hig hly skilled professionals and entrepreneurs makes the DMV area a natural starting point for a sustained and institutionalised diaspora engagement.
The United States remains Ghana’s single largest source of remittance inflows.
This underscores the importance of engaging diaspora communities in this jurisdiction, particularly given that remittances are among the most stable and counter -cyclical sources of external financing, providing resilience during periods of global economic uncertainty.
Let me be clear: the Ghanaian diaspora is a strategic asset.
It represents: • A critical source of foreign exchange inflows, • A powerful channel for technology transfer and innovation, and • An important bridge to global capital markets.
However, unlocking this full potential requires a deliberate transition – from consumption-driven remittances to investment -oriented diaspora capital flows.
Equally important is the intentional inclusion of second-generation Ghanaians, whose engagement wil l depend on modern, digital, and identity -linked approaches that reflect evolving preferences and investment behaviours.
This gathering reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the relationship between Ghana and its diaspora, recognising that diaspora capital, remittances, and expertise are integral to Ghana’s macroeconomic stability and long -term growth trajectory.
Over the past year, our macroeconomic framework has been recalibrated to ensure stability, predictability, and investor confidence.
Inflation dynamics have improved significantly, the external sector remains resilient, and our financial system continues to demonstrate soundness and adaptability.
Gross international reserves have strengthened, improving import cover, while the cedi has shown considerable resilience, supported by appropriate policy tightening and effective liquidity management.
My objective this evening is to set out, with clarity, the role of the Bank of Ghana and to engage you on how we can transform remittance flows into formal foreign exchange and channel them into investable capital through the financial system.
Remittance inflows remain a cornerstone of Ghana’s external sector.
In 2024, Ghana recorded approximately US$4.6 billion in remittances.
These flows continued to rise through 2025, reaching nearly US$7.8 billion by year -end.
At roughly six per cent of GDP, remittances now exceed foreign direct investment, underscoring their systemic importance.
Remittance products in Ghana are quite diverse and have evolved rapidly - driven through effective collaboration with banks, mobile money operators, fintech innovation, and strong diaspora inflows.
These include bank -based Remittance products, Mobile Mone y Remittance products, Fintech / Digital Remittance Apps, Cross-Border Payment Platforms & Aggregators, Cash Pickup & Agent Network Products, etc.
Accordingly, recent policy actions have focused on enhancing formal remittance capture, strengthening transparency in the foreign exchange market, supporting digital cross -border payment systems, and improving the integrity, quality, and reporting of remittance data.
The Bank of Ghana is aligning its approach with international best practice.
We are exploring diaspora bonds and structured investment vehicles in collaboration with the designated MDAS , promoting foreign -currency-denominated investment products through supervised industry players , strengthening regulatory frameworks for cross - border flows, and establishing more structured and continuous diaspora engagement platforms.
In addition, we are leveraging fintech partnerships to reduce remittance costs and settlement frictions, including the responsible use of digital ledger and tokenisation- based models to improve speed, traceability, and efficiency in cross-border remittance and investment flows – within a sound regulatory and supervisory framework.
We are working to ensure that when a Ghanaian in Washington or elsewhere decides to invest in Ghana – whether in government securities, SMEs, fintech, real estate, or infrastructure the pathway is seamless, credible, and rewarding.
These initiatives are informed by proven global best practices from emerging market peers.
Countries such as the Philippines, Mexico, and Kenya have successfully implemented structured diaspora engagement frameworks – combining targeted investment instruments, digital remittance platforms, and sustained policy dialogue – to mobilise remittances into long -term investment and development financing.
Mexico shows how to scale diaspora funds, the Philippines shows how to change financial behaviour, and India shows how to mobilise large capital from remittances.
Ghana intends to adapt and scale these lessons in a manner consistent with our domestic financial architecture.
This Roundtable is therefore designed to explore bankable diaspora investment opportunities; co -create innovative diaspora financial solutions; support a strategic shift from consumption -driven remittances to investment -led models; and provide clarity on regulatory constraints affecting diaspora flows.
We expect tangible outcomes, including greater formalisation of remittance flows, increased diaspora participation in Ghana’s financial markets, enhanced partnerships between diaspora, financial institutions, and policymakers, and actionable policy and regulatory recommendations.