News Guide Africa

Category: Technology

  • Key Policy Shifts Redefining Ghana’s Tech and Fintech Space

    Key Policy Shifts Redefining Ghana’s Tech and Fintech Space

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    Ghana’s rapidly expanding digital economy has hit a critical regulatory crossroads, marked by a wave of sweeping restructuring, aggressive market de-monopolization, and unprecedented central bank interventions.

    Over the course of forty-eight hours, the telecom and financial technology landscapes were upended by three major developments: the official termination of the controversial wholesale 5G exclusivity rights, a high-profile leadership transition at the state’s IT regulator, and the shocking revocation of a leading fintech giant’s operational licence.

    Together, these structural moves represent a decisive pivot by the state to balance national security and consumer protection with fierce market competition.

    NCA Formally Ends NGIC’s Wholesale 5G Monopoly

    In a move that has sent shockwaves through the telecommunications sector, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has formally stripped Next Gen InfraCo Limited (NGIC) of its exclusive rights to operate as the sole provider of wholesale 5G infrastructure in Ghana.

    The regulatory amendment, which officially took effect on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, strikes the monopoly clause from NGIC’s Wholesale Electronic Communications Infrastructure Licence while keeping the rest of the company’s spectrum assignments intact. The decision follows a rigorous administrative process, culminating in a hearing before the NCA Governing Board where NGIC’s objections were formally reviewed and dismissed.

    In a public statement detailing the shift, the telecom regulator made it clear that the domestic market had outgrown the protections of a single wholesale monopoly:

    “As the telecommunications market has evolved, however, the Authority has concluded that the public interest is better served by a competitive wholesale 5G market that promotes investment, innovation, network resilience, service quality and wider access to advanced communications services.”

     

    By breaking the monopoly, the NCA has effectively cleared the path for major private telecommunications operators to directly acquire 5G licences, paving the way for a highly anticipated spectrum auction.

    Leadership Transition and Broad Reforms Envisioned for NITA

    As the telecom sector adapts to a decentralized 5G model, the country’s central IT implementation agency is preparing for its own internal overhaul. Samuel Nartey George, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, officially introduced Mr. Nana Yaw Amoah-Yeboah as the incoming Director-General of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA).

    Mr. Amoah-Yeboah, a veteran technology professional with over a decade of public sector digital transformation experience, succeeds Dr. Mark-Oliver Kevor. During the handover ceremony, Hon. Sam George disclosed that the new chief executive assumes office at a defining juncture, as the state moves to pass the proposed NITA Act in Parliament. The upcoming bill is designed to fundamentally separate the agency’s commercial infrastructure assets from its core public regulatory functions.

    Addressing the strategic direction of NITA, Minister Sam George emphasized the state’s absolute resolve to tighten public asset governance:

    “All payments relating to NITA-managed infrastructure will henceforth be made directly to the Agency, a move aimed at safeguarding public assets, improving accountability and enhancing operational efficiency.”

     

    Ms. Estelle Akofio-Sowah, Board Chair of NITA, echoed this vision, stating that the board maintains full confidence in the new chief’s ability to “lead the Agency through its next phase of growth… [and] deliver on Government’s vision of a secure, innovative and digitally inclusive public service.”

    FinTech Sector Shaken: BoG Revokes Zeepay’s DEMI Licence

    While government agencies prepared for regulatory expansion, Ghana’s fintech sector suffered a major blow as the Bank of Ghana (BoG) summarily revoked the Dedicated Electronic Money Issuer (DEMI) licence of Zeepay Ghana Limited.

    According to the central bank, the drastic action—under Section 13 of the Payment Systems and Services Act, 2019 (Act 987) followed Zeepay’s persistent failure to maintain the mandatory physical cash backing to match its issued electronic money, resulting in a negative variance that exposed the national financial ecosystem to systemic risk. Despite multiple warnings and direct orders to inject liquidity or execute an orderly wind-down of its electronic currency issuance, the company failed to comply, leaving the central bank with no choice but to step in.

    Defending the intervention, the BoG’s public notice, signed by Secretary Ms. Aimee Vyda Quashie, asserted:

    “The revocation of Zeepay’s DEMI Licence is based on multiple regulatory breaches and its persistent failure to comply with regulatory directives and the terms and conditions of its DEMI Licence… [The company’s] continued operation under its DEMI licence constituted a threat to the safety and soundness of the national payment system.”

     

    Zeepay Promises a Smooth Transition

    Responding quickly to the central bank’s hammer, the management of Zeepay Ghana Limited released an immediate assurance to its expansive network of consumers, agents, and local trade merchants. While the company can no longer legally mint or back electronic e-cedis, its cross-border remittance and secondary payment processing rails remain technically functional.

    In its official public reaction, Zeepay aimed to calm market anxieties and promised absolute cooperation with state investigators:

    “Zeepay Ghana Limited has assured customers, agents, merchants and business partners of an orderly and transparent transition after the Bank of Ghana revoked its Dedicated Electronic Money [Licence].”

     

    The central bank has urged all affected Zeepay electronic wallet holders to contact the regulator’s dedicated complaints and support desk to safely claim and resolve their outstanding balances.

    The Analytical Outlook

    This rapid sequence of events signals a new era for Ghana’s tech economy. By dismantling the 5G monopoly, restructuring NITA’s regulatory authority, and enforcing severe penalties on prominent fintech players, regulators are sending a unified message: Ghana is open for technological innovation, but strict regulatory compliance and the protection of public interest are absolutely non-negotiable.

     

  • Akyem Abuakwa: Chief of Staff unveils plan for mega palm processing factory to spur job boom

    ​
    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

    In a monumental development for local agriculture and industrialization, the government has announced an ambitious plan to establish one of the largest palm processing factories in the country right within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.

    ​The landmark initiative was unveiled by the Chief of Staff, Dr. Julius Debrah, who spoke on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama at the grand durbar of the 2026 Ohum Festival held at Kyebi.


    Delivering the executive address at Eseho, the forecourt of the Ofori Panin Fie, Dr. Julius Debrah made a passionate appeal to the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, and the area’s traditional leaders to support the state by securing the necessary land to kickstart construction.

    The announcement has catalyzed a shared vision between state authorities and the Okyeman Traditional Council to aggressively expand the local oil palm value chain.
    ​Harnessing the Potential of “Red Gold”
    ​The Mahama administration’s focus on the oil palm industry stems from a strategic push to diversify Ghana’s agricultural output and maximize rural industrialization.

    ​”President John Dramani Mahama is keen on harnessing the potential of the emerging ‘red gold’ industry and its vast value chain, which is expected to create jobs for young people,” Chief of Staff Julius Debrah told the vibrant gathering of chiefs, queen mothers, and residents.

    ​The proposed processing facility is designed to move the local economy entirely away from the mere cultivation and sale of raw palm fruits. By capturing the full value chain, the factory will process raw materials directly within the Eastern Region into high-value consumer items. Officials at the gathering highlighted that the industrial pipeline will focus heavily on producing household essentials, including high-quality soaps and cooking oil.

    ​A Twin Vision for Youth Employment

    ​The state’s industrialization drive directly complements advanced plans already set in motion by the Okyeman Traditional Council to expand its own signature project, the Okyeman Oil Palm Plantation. The combined weight of a state-backed factory and an expanded plantation is expected to serve as a massive economic engine for the region.

    ​The project aims to tackle two critical socio-economic challenges at once:
    ​Curbing Rural Unemployment: The mega-factory and expanded cultivation are anticipated to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs specifically targeted at the youth.
    ​Mitigating Rural-Urban Migration: By anchoring high-earning manufacturing jobs locally, young people will no longer feel compelled to move to major cities in search of work.

    ​To guarantee these outcomes, Hon. Julius Debrah directly petitioned the traditional leadership. He urged the Okyehene, in close consultation with his sub-chiefs across Akyem Abuakwa, to identify and safely release a contiguous, suitable tract of land dedicated entirely to the factory’s construction and long-term sustainability.

    ​A Unified Call for Development

    The 2026 Ohum Festival—celebrated under the timely theme “Rejuvenating our Customs for Sustainability and Nature Connection”—served as a masterclass in cultural heritage and state-traditional collaboration.
    ​Supporting the Chief of Staff’s address, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to the equitable distribution of infrastructure. He assured citizens that the administration would continuously remain accountable to Ghanaians regarding its nationwide developmental stewardship.

    ​In response, the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, welcomed the forward-thinking agricultural blueprints. Standing under the banner of Susubiribi, local leaders and enthusiastic residents expressed an overwhelming wave of support for the project. The traditional council called upon all local stakeholders to display absolute unity and maximum cooperation to translate this massive industrial blueprint into immediate reality on the ground.

  • THE SILICON REVOLUTION: AI boom upends global hardware markets, reshapes higher education, and promises labor surges

    THE SILICON REVOLUTION: AI boom upends global hardware markets, reshapes higher education, and promises labor surges

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced past a simple software trend to trigger a profound structural shift across the global economy.

    New developments across the tech landscape reveal that while the intense AI boom is driving hardware manufacturing costs to critical heights and forcing major consumer price hikes, it is simultaneously embedding itself into the daily workflows of students and prompting major industry leaders to rethink the future of the global human workforce.

    1. Hardware in Crisis: Apple Prepares Price Hikes Amid AI Chip Squeeze

    The explosive demand for high-powered data centers capable of processing complex AI algorithms has triggered an aggressive, global scramble for vital computer components. Consequently, tech giant Apple has announced unavoidable price increases across its gadget ecosystem due to an “unsustainable” surge in memory chip costs.

    The price of RAM historically one of the most affordable hardware parts has more than doubled since October 2025. This strain is worsened by the geopolitical conflict in Iran, which has heavily disrupted the global supply of helium a gas absolutely critical for semiconductor fabrication.

    In a direct address detailing the supply constraints, outgoing Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook gave a candid warning regarding the immediate future of consumer technology:

    “We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable. There’s less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases. We definitely need memory pricing and supply to return to reasonable levels for consumer products. That’s the bottom line.”

    Market tracking firm Omdia estimates that the average selling price of smartphones globally will jump by roughly 20% in 2026, with upcoming AI-enabled iPhones expected to retail for up to $150 more than previous models.

    # The Domestic Manufacturing Pivot

    In a sudden, high-stakes attempt to insulate American supply chains from these international constraints, U.S. President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that Apple has agreed to pivot a portion of its core hardware dependencies domestically. Trump stated that Apple will work directly with Intel to design and manufacture its chips inside the United States, reducing its reliance on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) amid the aggressive global chip rush.

    2. The New Study Companion: AI Tools Overtake Traditional Libraries

    While corporate boards grapple with manufacturing costs, the software itself is completely transforming the educational sector. A random survey conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) revealed a significant behavioral shift among youth, who are increasingly replacing traditional libraries with digital platforms and interactive AI systems for active learning and research.

    AI-powered applications have quickly evolved into highly efficient personal study companions, utilized daily to condense large academic texts, interpret dense scientific formulas, and eliminate hours of manual research.

    Miss Sarah Mensa, a university student, explained how instant digital availability has altered her generation’s foundational study habits:

    “When I need information, I simply use TikTok, YouTube or an AI tool because it takes only a few minutes to find explanations on almost any topic. Our generation prefers quick access to information, and TikTok gives you information instantly, and AI tools can answer questions within seconds.”

    Echoing the permanence of this trend, university graduate Kofi Boateng highlighted the unparalleled accessibility that physical educational spaces simply cannot match:

    “If I have a question late at night, I can use AI immediately; I do not have to wait until a library opens the next day.”

    3. Work of the Future: Bezos Dismisses Mass Displacement Fears

    The rapid, deep adoption of AI in both academic and industrial settings has naturally amplified public anxiety regarding massive human labor displacement. However, speaking at the VivaTech conference in Paris, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos firmly rejected the popular narrative that AI will render humans obsolete.

    Instead, Bezos argued that the massive scale of automation will open entirely new avenues of industrial and commercial creation, ultimately resulting in a structural labor shortage rather than widespread unemployment.

    Addressing the global conversation surrounding job security, Bezos emphasized that human capability remains the primary bottleneck to technological execution:

    “We have an endless set of things to invent and we are only limited –– today, we are only limited not by our imaginations but by what we can actually do.”

    Navigating the Dual Realities of Progress

    As the world maneuvers through this intense phase of technological evolution, the dual nature of the AI revolution is becoming distinctly clear.

    On one end, consumers must brace for a “new pricing reality” where smart devices carry premium price tags to cover skyrocketing hardware expenses.

    On the other hand, the technology continues to serve as an equalizer for human productivity democratizing access to high-level information for students, creating new economic opportunities, and challenging global industries to build resilient, local production pipelines.

     

  • Lottery Industry Showdown: GLOA concedes market dominance to KGL, shuns revenue-driven comparison 

     

    ​By News Desk

     

    ​The Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA) has officially broken its silence on the brewing revenue debate within the nation’s lottery sector, confirming the undisputed market dominance of tech-lottery giant KGL Group.

    GLOA, in a press statement issued last week, the association urged state officials, the media, and the general public to halt immediate comparisons between the financial contributions of private operators and those of KGL, describing such parallels as fundamentally flawed given the vastly different operational frameworks.

    ​The statement, explicitly pleaded with stakeholders “not to compare the GHS 44.9 million paid by some 29 licensed Private Lotto Operators to the National Lottery Authority (NLA) to the over GHS 173 million paid by KGL to the same institution.” GLOA went a step further to formally crown KGL as the single largest contributor to the NLA’s revenue generation pipeline for the Republic.

    ​Revenue vs. Employment: The Mandate of Act 722

    However, ​at the heart of the association’s argument is a return to the foundational legal text governing the lottery sector.

    Consequently, in a statement authored by lotto industry expert, Dr Razak Kojo Opoku, pointed out that under Section 2(1) of the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722), the legislative intent is crystal clear.

    ​”National Lotto shall be conducted for the purpose of raising revenue for the nation and for other purposes stated in this Act,” the statute dictates.

    ​”Per Section 2(1) of Act 722, KGL has proven its worth in salt by helping the National Lottery Authority to fulfill its number one objective for which the Authority was established,” the Dr Kojo Opoku said in the statement.

    ​The association argued that critics often misunderstand the primary purpose of the NLA. “The primary purpose of establishing NLA is raising revenue for the nation, not principally employment creation or engaging in grassroots economic activity,” Dr Kojo Opoku clarified, swiftly added that “generating revenue automatically leads to jobs creation and grassroots economic activity whether via its USSD platform, point of sale terminals, or paper-based coupons.”

    National Lottery Authority (NLA) Contributions ─────────────┬────────────

    │ Entity                     │Amount Paid to NLA

     

    │ KGL Group            │ GHS 173.0 Million      │

    │ 29 Lotto Operators│ GHS 44.9 Million

     

     

    A Paradigm of Different Business Models

    ​The association clarified that the two entities operate in entirely different legal and operational spheres. While KGL operates legally as a registered collaborator under Section 2(4) of Act 722, private operators have a more fragmented legal standing. The statement admitted that private operators are not explicitly recognized under Act 722 as either Lotto Marketing Companies or formal collaborators, requiring them to instead be regulated under Section 22(1) of the Veterans Administration, Ghana Act, 2012 (Act 844).

    ​However, GLOA did not entirely shield its own members from criticism regarding the massive revenue gap. Despite KGL’s staggering GHS 173 million yield, GLOA acknowledged that private operators collectively still command a massive 70% to 80% share of the physical lottery market.

    ​”It is not inherently flawed to compare GLOA’s 44.9 million cedi to KGL’s 173 million cedi because GLOA and its members still control 70–80% of the market share,” the statement candidly remarked. “Therefore, it is expected that GLOA would do better than making GHS 44.9 million payments to the Republic through NLA.”

    ​The Half-Dollar Billion Illusion: Tech Architecture Costs Money

    ​Addressing critics who claim KGL holds an unfair advantage through exclusive digital access, the expert slammed the narrative that digital success is automatic. The association stressed that staking lottery numbers is an optional civic duty rather than a mandatory tax, meaning consumer acquisition requires aggressive, high-capital strategies.

    ​”It takes extremely huge investments into modern I.T. infrastructure, software systems integrations, ISO Certifications, and marketing to achieve the needed results in mobile-based transactions,” Dr Kojo Opoku stated.

     

    ​The association estimated the price tag for such dominance to be astronomically high: “Attaining competitive advantage in that space is not by mouth, but an expensive capital investment of about $500 million to $1 billion to have the kind of infrastructure architecture that KGL is currently operating in partnership with the Mobile Network Companies.”

    The industry expert pulled no punches in dispelling myths surrounding digital platforms, calling out historical misinformation. “It is a lie for anyone to say that access to a dedicated USSD platform substantially expands transaction volumes while reducing operational complexity.”

    ​To back this claim, the statement highlighted a history of failed digital lottery initiatives managed by the NLA and prior collaborators:

    ​Mobi Game 2 Sure (2008): Failed to achieve sustainability.

    ​Mobile 5/90 (2015–2017): Brought in a meager GHS 517,967.50 in 2015, crawled to GHS 1.25 million in 2016, and plummeted to GHS 367,812.30 in 2017 before being abruptly shut down by the NLA due to poor performance.

    ​*890# Short Code Projects (2020): The VAG Lottery Intake and NLA 5/90 VAG intakes generated a dismal GHS 31,786.85 and GHS 938,005.14 respectively, forcing the NLA and Tekstart Afrika Limited to cease operations completely.

    ​”These historical failures of the aforementioned digitalization projects by NLA and previous collaborators cement and confirm that the success story of KGL did not come easy or cheap,” Dr Kojo Opoku argued. “It came through tremendous work, dedication, and investments.”

    ​Sustaining a Heavy Overhead and Over 1 Million Livelihoods

    ​According to Dr Kojo Opoku, KGL carries an infrastructure maintenance burden that dwarfs the operational costs of traditional paper-coupon operators. The association challenged its own peer network, asking, “Which member of GLOA, or can the combined resources of GLOA, match up to the unprecedented financial investments that KGL has poured into the sustainability of its operations at no financial cost or risk to NLA?”

    ​These expenditures include multi-million dollar investments into telecommunications alignment, advanced cybersecurity firewalls to block fraud, the direct payment of winning national lotto tickets, and robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) campaigns.

     

    KGL’s Annual Economic Footprint to NLA Funds

     

    │NLA Stabilization Fund│ GHS 3.0 Million

     

    │NLA Good Causes Foundation │ GHS 2.0 Million

     

    │Total Ecosystem Contribution │ > GHS 1.0 Billion

     

    (Note: KGL’s individual fund contributions of GHS 3M and GHS 2M each outpace the GHS 1.5M license fee paid by single private operators).

    ​Beyond statutory requirements, Dr Kojo Opoku praised KGL’s wider impact on the Ghanaian economic ecosystem, noting that corporate giants like MTN, Telecel, AirtelTigo, various commercial banks, advertising agencies, and media houses remain major financial beneficiaries of KGL’s operations. Through the KGL Foundation, the group heavily funds education, healthcare delivery, and sports development, injecting over GHS 1 billion annually into the national economy and supporting millions of households.

    ​A Call for Industrial Harmony

    ​Concluding the statement, Dr Kojo Opoku called for an immediate truce and a “holistic evaluation” of the lottery market, emphasizing that the sector is vast enough for all entities to thrive if modern corporate strategies are adopted.

    ​”The lottery market space is still underdeveloped, and the space is big enough to accommodate KGL, Private Lotto Operators, and other Collaborators. Industrial harmony is key for each company licensed by NLA to realize its full potential,” the statement urged.

     

    ​The association advised it members to stop fighting the digital wave and instead look inward by deploying modern Point of Sale (POS) terminals and secure paper coupons with enhanced anti-fraud features.

    ​”The Republic needs KGL to raise revenue in accordance with Section 2(1) of Act 722. The Republic also needs the Private Lotto Operators, Lotto Marketing Companies, and Collaborators to create jobs for a number of people in the kiosks across the country,” Dr Kojo Opoku concluded. “Instead of fighting and undermining each other, the stakeholders duly recognized by the National Lottery Authority should learn to peacefully co-exist.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Dignity restored as KGL Foundation transforms Accra Psych OPD

     

    Mental health care in Ghana just got a massive, much-needed upgrade. In a move set to shatter long-standing stigmas, the KGL Foundation has officially handed over a sleek, ultra-modern Out-Patient Department (OPD) to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital—turning a once-dreary space into a sanctuary of dignity and healing.

    ​The extensive renovation completely overhauls the facility’s physical environment. The upgraded OPD features enhanced safety measures, modernized consulting rooms, and an inviting, patient-friendly layout designed to put visitors at ease the moment they walk through the door.

    ​Speaking at the colorful commissioning ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of the KGL Foundation, Mr. Elliot Dadey, emphasized that a hospital’s environment is just as critical as the medicine prescribed inside it.

    ​”The physical environment of a health facility plays a crucial role in the recovery process of patients,” Mr. Dadey stated. He noted that the project was born out of an urgent need to spark lasting change and inspire private sector investment in mental health. “The upgraded facility will provide a more conducive atmosphere for treatment and care.”

    ​Receiving the keys to the renovated block, the Hospital Director of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Kwadwo Marfo Obeng, lauded the KGL Foundation for honoring its commitment. He described the new OPD as a revolutionary transformation that goes far beyond brick and mortar.

    ​”The renovated facility has improved the hospital’s image, enhanced safety and comfort within consulting rooms, and made the institution more welcoming to patients and visitors,” Dr. Obeng said.

    ​He further noted that the facelift serves as a powerful psychological tool to fight the deep-rooted societal bias against psychiatric institutions. “The facelift is helping to change public perceptions of mental health care and encouraging more people to seek professional support when needed,” the Hospital Director observed.

    ​The commissioning ceremony was heavily attended by key stakeholders, underscoring the national importance of the project. Among the high-profile dignitaries present were Dr. Eugene Dordoye, CEO of the Mental Health Authority; Dr. Susan Seffah, Clinical Coordinator; Dr. Peggy Asiedu Ekremet, Head of Public Relations and Deputy Clinical Coordinator; Mr. Victus Kpesese, Director of Administration at the Mental Health Authority; and Mr. Emmanuel Hanson Torde, Deputy Director of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

    ​With the new facility now open, officials are optimistic that the improved ambiance will reduce patient anxiety, streamline healthcare delivery, and set a new benchmark for mental health infrastructure across Ghana.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Who Creates Money in Nigeria—and How to Build Institutions for Price Stability

     

    BY ABOUBAKR KAIRA BARRY, CFA

    MANAGING DIRECTOR, RESULTS ASSOCIATES · BETHESDA, MARYLAND, USA

    KEY TAKEAWAYS

    ▸  In Nigeria, money is created mainly by commercial banks and, to a lesser extent, by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    ▸  Between 2015 and 2024, money supply grew at 20 percent annually while real GDP per capita fell by 0.6 percent, driving inflation and eroding living standards.

    ▸  CBN reforms matter, but price stability cannot be achieved without fiscal discipline, stronger public financial management, and tighter institutional guardrails.

    ▸  Durable reform requires constitutional fiscal rules, better budget management, stronger subnational transparency, and prudent banking regulation.

    Read Full Publication Below:

    Who Creates Money in Nigeria—and How to Build Institutions for Price Stability (1)

     

     

  • ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity Hackathon Opens In Accra To Advance Regional Collaboration And Digital Resilience 

    ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity Hackathon Opens In Accra To Advance Regional Collaboration And Digital Resilience 

    The fourth edition of the ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity Hackathon, themed “Regional Collaboration through Technology: Building the Digital Future of West Africa Together,” officially commenced in Accra, Ghana, at 13:00 GMT on 9 June 2026.

     

    The event brings together some of the region’s brightest cybersecurity talents for a 48-hour competition that will run until 13:00 GMT on 11 June 2026. Over the next 48 hours, participants from 12 ECOWAS Member States will take part in practical cybersecurity challenge exercises designed to strengthen critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving skills in responding to emerging digital threats.

    The hackathon aims to deepen regional cooperation, build local cybersecurity capacity, and support a safer and more trusted digital ecosystem across.

     

  • RTI puts NLA and ‘legacy operators’ under the spotlight …as KGL challenged Ghana’s lottery system 

     

     

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    ​Ghana’s multi-billion cedi lottery and gaming ecosystem is facing an unprecedented demand for transparency, as a sweeping Right to Information (RTI) threatens to upend decades of financial opacity.

    ​Through two formal RTI applications filed on May 10, 2026, Punch Newspaper Managing Editor, Mr. Ayisah Foster, has forcefully petitioned both the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the National Lottery Authority (NLA). The petitions demand a meticulous, line-item accounting of taxes, license fees, penalties, and revenues from dozens of operators spanning over a decade of lottery operations.

    ​For a sector historically shielded by complex public-private partnerships, the move marks a critical turning point. It also highlights a growing industry schism: while legacy operators face compounding questions over regularizations and revenue leakage, tech-driven giants like KGL Technology Limited are challenging the old guard by setting a new baseline for transparency.

    ​A Dragnet for Accountability

    ​The sheer scale of the information requested under Section 18 of the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 989) indicates that the era of taking regulatory compliance on faith is over. The GRA has been asked to disclose the exact tax contributions of 36 major firms, while the NLA faces a barrage of queries ranging from historical current liabilities (2012–2020) to the specific win-ratios of 5/90 lottery products.

    ​”For too long, the lottery sector has operated in a data vacuum,” noted an industry financial analyst speaking on condition of anonymity. “We hear massive numbers quoted regarding state contributions, but without granular validation, the public cannot distinguish true national revenue from corporate posturing.”

     

    ​Indeed, one of the most damning prongs of Foster’s petition directly challenges the historical narrative of the NLA’s profitability. The newspaper is demanding hard financial data to prove whether the NLA genuinely generated between ₵500 million and ₵3 billion annually for the Consolidated Fund between 2007 and 2020.

    ​The KGL Factor: Challenging the Legacy System

    ​At the center of this legislative reckoning sits KGL Technology Limited. As a premier digital lottery partner to the NLA, KGL’s operational model has fundamentally disrupted how lottery revenues are tracked and audited.

    ​Unlike the fragmented, cash-heavy operations of traditional Lotto Marketing Companies utilizing physical kiosks and point-of-sale terminals, KGL’s entirely digital framework leaves an immutable electronic trail. By integrating digital checkout systems and direct bank transfers, KGL essentially challenged a legacy system that was structurally prone to under-reporting.

    ​”The digital transition led by KGL proved that you can scale lottery operations while ensuring every single pesewa is accounted for in real-time,” says Kojo Mensah, a digital governance expert. “By operating with an open-ledger ethos, they effectively raised the bar, making the murky operations of older shortcode and third-party applications stick out like a sore thumb.”

     

    ​The stark contrast between audited digital compliance and legacy ambiguity is precisely what has triggered further scrutiny into other third-party shortcodes. Foster’s petition explicitly demands to know whether operators behind USSD codes like *890# (TekStart Africa), *896# (Alpha Lotto), and *859# (Onassis Sports) were ever officially authorized, or if they have been operating out of bounds.

    ​The Legal Monopoly vs. Private Draws

    ​The scrutiny further extends to the legal boundaries of drawing lotteries. Under Sections 23, 24, and 27 of the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722), the NLA holds an exclusive mandate to conduct and supervise lotto draws. Yet, private operators have routinely broadcasted independent draws.

    ​The RTI application takes direct aim at this friction point, demanding to see the exact revenue the NLA received from live draws conducted by Alpha Lotto Limited on Ghana Television (GTV).

    ​”If the state has a legal monopoly on lottery draws to protect public revenue, any private concession must be tightly audited,” Foster stated in an interview regarding the filings. “We need to know if the state is getting its fair share, or if private entities are capitalizing on state infrastructure for pennies on the cedi.”

     

    ​A Sector in Transition

    ​With copies of the RTI requests served to the Ministry of Finance and the board chairs of both the GRA and NLA, the state apparatus has been put on notice.

    ​The outcome of these requests will likely redefine the lottery landscape in Ghana. As modern tech operators continue to demonstrate that transparency is not just legally compliant but highly profitable, the pressure on legacy operators and regulators to open their books will only intensify.

    ​For Ghana’s lottery business, the balls have been drawn, the results are being scrutinized, and the public is waiting to see if the state truly wins.

     

  • DVLA alerts public over rising fake SMS fine scams

    DVLA logo

    ​

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has issued an urgent public warning following a surge in fraudulent SMS messages targeting unsuspecting vehicle owners with fake traffic fines and payment demands.

    ​Fraudsters are reportedly using high-pressure tactics, including artificial deadlines and promises of “discounts,” to trick citizens into clicking malicious links designed to steal money and personal financial details.

    ​The Scammer’s Modus Operandi

    ​According to an official statement released by the Authority, the scammers operate by sending targeted text messages containing external links. When a recipient clicks the link, they are redirected to a cloned, fraudulent platform designed to mimic official government channels.

    ​”The modus operandi of these scammers is to send an SMS to a client containing a link,” the DVLA stated. “When the recipient clicks on the link, he or she is redirected to a fake platform and asked to pay a supposed DVLA fine, sometimes with claims of discounts or urgent payment deadlines.”

     

    ​The Authority categorically distanced itself from these messages, clarifying that it has not instituted any such SMS-based fine collection system involving promotional discounts.

    ​”The DVLA wishes to categorically inform the general public that these messages are fraudulent and must be disregarded,” the statement stressed.

     

    ​Official Payment Channels and Verification

    ​To prevent further victimization, the DVLA has outlined strict guidelines for the public regarding how legitimate digital transactions must be handled. The Authority made it clear that any platform offering discounted penalties is an immediate red flag.

    ​”The DVLA does not offer discounts on fines. Any SMS, website, platform, or person claiming to offer discounted DVLA fines is fraudulent,” the Authority cautioned.

     

    ​The management further specified that the government’s centralized portal remains the exclusive gateway for valid digital payments:

    ​”The only acceptable online payment gateway for DVLA transactions is the Government of Ghana’s official payment platform, https://www.Ghana.gov.gh.”

     

    ​Officials also urged motorists to verify any correspondence by cross-referencing information via the official institutional website (www.dvla.gov.gh), warning that “any other website, shortened link, or unofficial payment link claiming to represent DVLA should be treated as fake.”

    ​Call to Action for Motorists

    ​The public is strongly advised to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited text messages regarding vehicle compliance or penalties.

    ​”Members of the public should not click on suspicious links, enter personal details, or make payments through any unofficial platform,” the DVLA warned.

     

    ​For those who may have already targeted or received these fraudulent texts, the Authority is urging immediate cooperation with law enforcement to help track down the syndicates.

    ​”Any person who receives such suspicious SMS messages is encouraged to report them to the nearest DVLA office or the appropriate law enforcement agency for further action,” the statement concluded, reiterating that the DVLA “remains committed to protecting the public from fraudulent activities.”

     

    ​Citizens seeking to verify their status or report suspicious messages can contact the DVLA directly via their official customer service line at 020 320 0112 or email info@dvla.gov.gh.

     

  • Vindication With Figures: KGL’s GH¢173m payment to NLA dwarfs combined 29 competitors payment of GH¢44.9m 

     

     

    ​By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    An exclusive, data-backed analysis of the financial operations of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) has clarified the true revenue contributions of private lotto operators in the country, correcting months of speculative public debate.

    ​According to verified financial records for the 2025 financial year, 29 licensed private lottery companies and collaborators collectively paid a total sum of GH¢ 44,900,161.23 (approximately GH¢ 44.9 million) to the NLA. In sharp contrast, a single digital partner, KGL Technology Limited, paid GH¢ 173,360,000 (over GH¢ 173 million) to the state authority within the same period.

    ​The revelation follows ongoing public campaigns and media reports that have repeatedly questioned KGL’s operational framework and its impact on state revenue.

    ​Reacting to the heavily skewed financial figures, Mr. Foster Ayisah, a Ghanaian based journalist, criticized the targeted media commentary against the digital lottery operator, urging a more data-driven approach to industry reporting.

    ​“The constant criticisms without proper financial data are misleading,” Mr. Ayisah stated during an editorial briefing. “A comprehensive assessment requires investigating the entire business operations, management, and administration of the NLA to ascertain the real structural challenges contributing to the authority’s revenue shortfalls.”

    ​The Operational Landscape

    ​The newly emerged data explicitly refutes claims that a single entity holds an exclusive monopoly over Ghana’s lottery ecosystem. Records show that the NLA, acting under its legal mandate in Act 722, has actively issued long-term operational licenses, mostly spanning 10 to 15 years, to over 30 private collaborators, creating a broad field of active operators.

    ​Despite this level playing field, the vast majority of private operators fell significantly behind KGL’s revenue generation capacity.

    ​Breakdown of Revenue Contributions (2025 Financial Year)

    ​Note: The financial report further indicated that three registered operators—SB Business Ventures, Best Chance Lottery Company, and Diblo Lottery—did not remit any funds to the NLA for the 2025 financial year.

     

    ​Executive Review and Next Steps

    ​To address structural inefficiencies and ensure institutional stability, the executive arm of government has taken an analytical approach to the industry’s friction. Rather than altering existing valid contracts based on unverified public narratives, a specialized committee was instituted to review the NLA’s broader structural issues comprehensively.

    ​Local financial analysts and industry stakeholders are now looking forward to the outcome of upcoming consensus financial re-negotiations between the state and its primary digital driver to optimize future state revenue.

    ​”The facts and data published by the Auditor-General and the Ghana Audit Service do not support the narrative that the state is losing revenue through its current digital partnerships,” Mr. Ayisah concluded, emphasizing the need for commentators to rely on official economic data rather than speculation.