The Ghanaian government has made digital technology the heart of its socioeconomic development strategy, launching a $5 million fund to foster technological innovation across the nation.
Last week, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, officially introduced the country’s new Digital Economy Policy and Strategy. This comprehensive roadmap is designed to harness digital technologies to drive economic growth, enhance public services, and ensure equitable access to digital resources.
The strategy is built on five core pillars: entrepreneurship, digital skills, digital government, universal access, and emerging technologies. According to Minister Owusu-Ekuful, the policy is intended to accelerate Ghana’s ongoing digital transformation initiatives.
Ghana currently ranks 108th globally on the 2024 E-Government Development Index (EGDI) by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), scoring 0.6316 out of 1. While this positions Ghana above the West African average of 0.3957 and the continental average of 0.4247, it remains slightly below the global average of 0.6382. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ranks Ghana’s ICT Development Index at 66.2 out of 100, recognizing the nation as a leader in global cybersecurity practices.
“By aligning digital efforts with job creation and GDP growth, the policy aims to ensure that technology becomes a powerful engine for inclusive development, reducing poverty and enhancing prosperity for all Ghanaians,” the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation stated in a press release.
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The potential for growth in Ghana’s digital economy aligns with broader continental trends. A joint study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Google predicts Africa’s digital economy will be valued at $712 billion by 2050, representing approximately 8.5% of the continent’s GDP. Domestically, data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) highlights the ICT sector’s significant contribution to Ghana’s economy, generating GHS 21 billion ($1.36 billion) in 2022—accounting for about 4% of GDP—compared to GHS 4.4 billion in 2016.
The newly unveiled strategy underscores Ghana’s commitment to leveraging digital innovation as a cornerstone for sustained socioeconomic growth and development.
