In line with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) has announced a series of measures to enhance the security and trustworthiness of e-commerce and digital transactions in Ghana.
The AfCFTA, which came into force in January 2021, aims to create a single market for goods and services across the continent, with a potential market of 1.2 billion people and a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion. E-commerce and digital platforms are expected to play a key role in facilitating trade and boosting economic growth under the AfCFTA.
However, e-commerce and digital transactions also pose significant challenges and risks, such as cybercrime, fraud, identity theft, money laundering, and tax evasion. These challenges and risks undermine the confidence and trust of consumers, businesses, and governments in the digital economy, and hamper the realization of the full benefits of the AfCFTA.
To address these challenges and risks, the MoCD has launched the AfCFTA Hub, a digital platform that provides a one-stop shop for e-commerce and digital service providers to register and obtain an e-certificate, which verifies their identity and legal status. The AfCFTA Hub also enables consumers and businesses to verify the authenticity and credibility of e-commerce and digital service providers before engaging in any transactions with them.
The AfCFTA Hub is endorsed by the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Union 4D, and the AfroChampions, and is supported by the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, the Cyber Peace Institute, the World Bank, and the World Economic Forum. The AfCFTA Hub is part of the government’s digital acceleration agenda, which aims to digitalize Ghana’s economy and position it as a leader and hub for innovation and technology in Africa.
The MoCD has set a deadline of December 19, 2023, for all e-commerce and digital service providers operating in Ghana to register and obtain an e-certificate from the AfCFTA Hub. Failure to do so will result in legal sanctions and penalties, as well as exclusion from the AfCFTA market. The MoCD urges all e-commerce and digital service providers to comply with this requirement and to join the AfCFTA Hub, which will enhance their visibility, credibility, and competitiveness in the continental and global markets.
The MoCD also encourages all consumers and businesses to use the AfCFTA Hub to verify the e-certificates of e-commerce and digital service providers before engaging in any transactions with them. This will help to protect them from fraud and cybercrime, and to ensure that they receive quality and reliable services.
The Ministry is committed to working with all stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, academia, and development partners, to promote a safe, secure, and inclusive digital economy in Ghana, and to support the successful implementation of the AfCFTA.
