News Guide Africa

Category: Technology

  • ​GRA rolls out ‘Red Carpet’ for British Capital …pledging transparent reforms to de-risk investment ​

    Ghana Revenue Authority officials engaging a session of UK investors

    pledging transparent reforms to de-risk investment ​

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    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    In a strategic move to boost foreign direct investment and strengthen economic ties between Ghana and the United Kingdom, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has engaged UK investors with a firm commitment to establishing a more predictable, transparent, and business-friendly tax regime.

    At the recent Ghana-UK visit by the President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama, senior officials from the the tax authority were seen actively rolling out the red carpet for British businesses by pledging sweeping regulatory reforms aimed at eliminating bottlenecks and mitigating systemic uncertainties.

    ​The high-level engagements feature key leadership from the revenue authority, including Elsie Appau-Klu Esq., Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General of the GRA, and Dr. Martin Kolbil Yamborigya, Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division. Their coordinated message underscores a pivotal shift in how the GRA intends to interact with multinational corporations moving forward.

    ​For years, international investors have cited regulatory unpredictable timelines and rigid administrative frameworks as primary hurdles to operating seamlessly within the West African nation. The GRA’s fresh charm offensive seeks to directly address these historical pain points.

    ​Sweeping Legislative Amendments on the Horizon

    ​According to legal and corporate stakeholders working closely with the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC), the proposed reforms are not merely rhetorical. The GRA has initiated steps to overhaul critical components of the Revenue Administration Act (RAA). Key changes under review include:

    ​Eliminating Timeline Ambiguities: The GRA aims to amend strict laws governing objections, legally mandating the Commissioner-General to respond within allotted windows so corporate taxpayers are not left in limbo.

    ​Reforming the Interest Regime: The authority is addressing the current monthly compounding interest structure on outstanding taxes—a mechanism that business leaders argue frustrates corporate profitability and discourages voluntary compliance.

    ​Operationalizing the Independent Tax Appeals Board (ITAB): A major priority for the business community is bringing the long-awaited ITAB to full operational capacity, offering a vital quasi-judicial buffer between taxpayers and the courts to resolve disputes efficiently.

    ​”We want to create the necessary environment for taxpayers to do business. Remember, if there’s no business, there’s no GRA,” noted revenue representatives during recent policy forums, highlighting a new institutional mindset rooted in mutual respect and fairness.

     

     

     

    A New Chapter for Foreign Investment

     

    By pivoting away from aggressive enforcement and focusing heavily on “tax certainty,” Ghana positions itself competitively at a time when global capital markets heavily reward transparency.

     

    With both local policymakers and UK trade representatives aligning on these policy roadmaps, British investors are looking at a significantly de-risked financial landscape. The GRA’s proactive outreach signals a robust effort to ensure that Ghana remains a premier, stable hub for international trade and sustainable corporate growth.

     

     

  • ECOWAS hosts media sensitization workshop to advance regional biometric identity card rollout

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    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    In a major step toward strengthening regional security and advancing West African integration, the ECOWAS Commission is convening a high-level Media Sensitization Workshop today, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra.

    ​The workshop aims to equip journalists and media practitioners with the necessary knowledge and tools to report accurately on the implementation of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC). By building a strategic network of media partners, regional authorities hope to foster public trust, raise widespread awareness, and combat misinformation surrounding the initiative.

    ​Fostering Free Movement and Regional Security

    ​The introduction of the ENBIC stands as a core priority originally agreed upon by the Authority of Heads of State and Government during the 46th ECOWAS Ordinary Summit. Designed as an official travel document, the biometric card is engineered to promote regional integration and facilitate the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons.

    ​Beyond enhancing economic and social mobility for citizens, the ENBIC framework aims to:

    Strengthen the regional security architecture.

    ​Mitigate irregular migration.

    Tackle trans-border crimes.

    Enhance the overall integrity, reliability, and interoperability of identity management systems across Member States.

    ​The Strategic Role of the Media

    ​Recognizing that public acceptance hinges on accurate information, the ECOWAS Commission has mandated targeted advocacy initiatives. Media professionals from print, broadcast, and online platforms are joining border management experts and ministry officials for the interactive sessions.

    ​The workshop will specifically address critical implementation processes, timelines, and institutional roles, while providing a dedicated platform to discuss sensitive issues such as privacy, data protection, and security safeguards.

    ​Workshop Agenda & Program Highlights

    ​The day’s program features technical presentations, interactive question-and-answer segments, and strategic strategy sessions:

    ​Morning Session: Following registration and opening statements from the ECOWAS Directorate of Free Movement of Persons, Migration and Tourism alongside the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), ECOWAS technical experts will deliver a comprehensive overview of the ENBIC’s features, objectives, and implementation roadmap.

    Afternoon Session: The Ghana Immigration Service will present a detailed look at internal processes, focusing on the issuance, control, and application procedures within Ghana.

    ​Plenary & Strategy: The Media Foundation for West Africa will lead a session exploring the critical role of journalists in driving public awareness. The afternoon will close with an open plenary allowing journalists to voice anticipated challenges and gaps in information dissemination, culminating in a joint list of strategic recommendations.

    ​Through this collaborative forum, implementing agencies and West African media houses aim to forge a lasting partnership that ensures the smooth, secure, and well-understood rollout of the ENBIC across the sub-region.

     

  • Regulation by Invoicing: The Systemic Flaws in NITA’s Licensing Push and the Threat to Ghana’s Digital Trust

    Regulation by Invoicing: The Systemic Flaws in NITA’s Licensing Push and the Threat to Ghana’s Digital Trust

    By John Sitsofe Mensah , Technology Policy Analyst, IMANI

     

    The architecture of a nation’s digital economy relies entirely on the integrity of its regulatory frameworks. When the rules governing technological innovation are clear, predictable, and legally sound, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) thrives, and digital trust is established. However, when regulatory bodies bypass foundational legislation in favor of administrative bootstrapping, the entire ecosystem is placed at risk.

    The recent push by the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to mandate licenses for individual ICT professionals and general private tech businesses presents a textbook case of regulatory overreach. By leaning on the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022, and its subsequent 2023 Regulations to justify this sweep, NITA is attempting to extract a substantive regulatory mandate out of a consolidated financial instrument.

    A rigorous analysis of the underlying issues, laws, and frameworks surrounding this development reveals structural legal contradictions, a glaring historical legislative void, and a reactive regulatory posture that threatens to stifle local innovation and erode the very digital trust the agency was established to protect.

     

    The Foundational Blueprint: Strict Statutory Boundaries

     

    To understand the current friction, one must examine the original 2008 regulatory architecture. NITA was established by the National Information Technology Agency Act, 2008 (Act 771), with a companion framework provided by the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act 772).

    These laws were designed with a specific, corporate-focused regulatory intent:

    – Infrastructure over Individuals: NITA was tasked with regulating the “provision” of ICT, managing networks, and ensuring quality of service at the enterprise level.

    – Strict Licensing Limitations: Act 772 explicitly limits NITA’s certification powers to highly sensitive corporate services, specifically encryption and authentication.

    – The Individual Prohibition: Most crucially, Section 38(1) of Act 772 contains an unambiguous, specific prohibition: “A licence shall not be issued or granted by the Agency to an individual.”

    Under the 2008 framework, a data analyst or software developer simply utilizing ICT infrastructure to practice their trade operates entirely outside NITA’s licensing purview.

     

    The Legislative Void and the Pivot to “Regulation by Invoicing”

     

    To operationalize a primary Act especially one establishing a “Certifying Agency” with highly technical mandates a detailed Legislative Instrument (LI) is legally required. Despite multiple drafts circulating over the years, no comprehensive, sector-specific LIs were ever formally enacted to operationalize NITA’s broad statutory mandates under the 2008 Acts.

     

    Without an operational LI, NITA found itself holding broad enabling legislation but completely lacking the subsidiary legal tools required to actually execute its mandate. This legislative vacuum directly explains the agency’s current reliance on the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022.

     

    By sliding pricing schedules for “IT Professional Licenses” and broad business certifications into a general financial instrument, the agency engaged in administrative bootstrapping hoping the authorization to collect a fee would be interpreted as the legal mandate to establish the regulatory regime itself.

     

    This approach is legally flawed:

     

    – The Fallacy of Revenue as Regulation: The Fees and Charges Act is a consolidated national pricing catalog. Passing a financial schedule that sets a price tag for a “Software Developer Certification” does not magically grant the agency the substantive legal authority to create or enforce that professional guild. Pricing does not equal permission.

     

    – Hierarchy of Laws: A fundamental rule of statutory interpretation dictates that general laws cannot implicitly repeal specific laws. A line item buried in a general fees schedule cannot override the explicit prohibition against individual licensing found in Section 38(1) of Act 772.

     

    The Fallacy of the IT Guild: Why State Gatekeeping is Needless

     

    While legislative integrity demands that any move to regulate human capital must occur through rigorous primary legislation, we must ask a more fundamental question: Should the state be licensing IT professionals at all? Attempting to shoehorn the tech sector into a traditional, state-mandated professional guild is a profound misunderstanding of how the global digital economy operates. Creating a mandatory IT guild is entirely needless for two core reasons:

     

    – Global Standards Already Exist: The IT sector is inherently borderless and already governed by rigorous, globally recognized standards. International certification systems ranging from vendor-neutral accreditations like CISSP, CompTIA, and ISACA to vendor-specific credentials from AWS, Cisco, and Microsoft are continuously updated to reflect the bleeding edge of technology. A localized, state-run certification system cannot hope to outpace or out-rigor these global benchmarks. Rather than mandating a redundant local license, policy should encourage and perhaps subsidize the acquisition of these internationally recognized credentials.

     

    – The Meritocracy of Self-Taught Knowledge: Unlike medicine or law, the tech ecosystem thrives on decentralized learning and the open-source movement. A developer’s competence is proven by their code repositories, their problem-solving logic, and their deployment history, not by a state-issued piece of paper. The sector is famously meritocratic, heavily relying on brilliant, self-taught innovators. Erecting a mandatory guild system risks disenfranchising these self-taught experts, creating artificial barriers to entry that will ultimately starve the local industry of talent.

     

    The Path Forward: Fostering Enablement Over Gatekeeping

     

    In 1865, as the first motorized vehicles emerged, the British Parliament panicked. To maintain control over a disruptive new technology, they passed the Locomotive Act famously known as the “Red Flag Act.” It required every motorized vehicle to be preceded by a man walking on foot, waving a red flag to warn pedestrians. While intended to create order, the law effectively strangled the British automobile industry in its crib, allowing nations with more enabling frameworks to leapfrog them.

     

    Today, attempting to force the modern, decentralized IT sector into a localized, state-mandated licensing guild is the digital equivalent of the Red Flag Act. It imposes analog constraints on a purely digital frontier.

    Furthermore, in structural engineering, there is an unforgiving truth: you cannot build a skyscraper on a foundation poured for a bungalow. You can add as many floors as you like, and you can paint the facade to look modern, but eventually, the structural reality will assert itself, and the edifice will collapse. The exact same principle applies to regulatory frameworks.

    A regulatory regime built on the fragile foundation of a pricing catalog will inevitably fracture under the weight of actual enforcement and legal scrutiny.

     

    To foster innovation and build enduring digital trust, Ghana does not need to mandate professional guilds via invoices. We require:

    Regulatory Clarity: Agencies must operate strictly within the bounds of their enabling Acts.

    – Incentivizing Global Competence: The state should encourage the use of rigorous, existing international certifications to raise the national skill floor, rather than forcing practitioners into a localized licensing trap.

     

    – Transparent Recourse Mechanisms: The industry needs mandatory performance metrics and operational data publication from regulators to ensure accountability and prevent administrative overreach.

    If Ghana is to build a secure, effective, and globally competitive digital economy, its regulatory foundation must be grounded in robust law and an architecture of enablement, not merely in a schedule of fees.

     

    John Sitsofe Mensah is a Technology Policy Analyst with IMANI.

  • Data Is the New Gold — But Most Nations Are Still Digging With Shovels

    Data Is the New Gold — But Most Nations Are Still Digging With Shovels

    By: Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah

    Chairman: iZone Limited

    Chairman: Dodo Technologies Limited

    There was a time when nations measured power by the amount of gold buried beneath their soil.

    Today, the most valuable resource on earth is often invisible.

    It is not oil.

    It is not lithium.

    It is not even money.

    It is data.

    Not because data itself is magical, but because of what happens when data is refined into intelligence.

    Gold sitting in the ground has little value until someone mines, refines, transports, secures, and trades it. Data behaves the same way.

    Raw data is merely digital ore.

    The real value comes from refining it into insight, prediction, coordination, automation, and ultimately, power.

    And this is where the future battle for economic dominance will be fought.

    The Countries Winning Today Understand This

    The largest companies in the world are no longer simply manufacturers or industrial giants.

    They are intelligence companies.

    Every search, payment, click, movement, message, purchase, location ping, and interaction generates data. Over time, this creates patterns. Patterns become predictions. Predictions become influence. Influence becomes economic power.

    The companies leading the AI revolution are not necessarily the companies with the best algorithms. They are the companies with the richest data ecosystems, because AI without data is like a refinery without crude oil.

    Africa’s Hidden Gold Mine

    Africa may be behind in many traditional industrial indicators, but in one critical area, it still has an opportunity to leapfrog:

    Digital intelligence infrastructure.

    For decades, Africa suffered from poor physical infrastructure.

    In Ghana, before the mobile revolution, communication itself was difficult. We even had a Ministry of Transport and Communication almost suggesting that to communicate effectively, people physically had to move.

    Then mobile phones changed everything, and suddenly, millions of Africans who never owned landlines became connected almost overnight.

    What looked like a communications revolution was actually the creation of a massive real-time data network. Every call, airtime purchase, mobile money transaction, text message, and location update became part of a growing intelligence ecosystem.

    The telcos were not merely building telecom companies….They were unknowingly building some of the largest data engines in Africa.

    Today, AI represents the next phase of that transformation.

    Why 500 New MTN Sites Matter More Than Most People Think

    When a company like MTN Ghana announces plans to build 500 new network sites, many people understandably see it as a telecommunications investment.

    Better coverage.

    Faster internet.

    Fewer dropped calls.

    But in this AI era, it represents something much larger…Every new network site is effectively a new gateway into the digital economy.

    Each new tower expands the reach of:

    • communication,

    • commerce,

    • digital identity,

    • financial services,

    • education,

    • healthcare,

    • entertainment,

    • and increasingly, artificial intelligence itself.

    In many parts of Africa, connectivity is no longer merely about making phone calls…It is about participation in the intelligence economy.

    A farmer connected to mobile internet becomes part of a data ecosystem.

    A student accessing AI tools becomes part of a learning intelligence network.

    A small business using digital payments begins generating commercial intelligence.

    A rural clinic connected to digital health platforms becomes part of a national healthcare intelligence system.

    This is why infrastructure investments by companies like MTN Ghana carry strategic national significance beyond telecommunications revenue. They are laying the digital railways upon which AI systems, financial inclusion, enterprise intelligence, and future innovation will travel.

    The first mobile revolution connected voices. This next phase connects intelligence. And perhaps most importantly, every additional site increases the volume, diversity, and richness of the data ecosystem from which future AI systems will learn.

    In many ways, these towers are not merely communication assets. They are future intelligence assets.

    The Real Question Is Not Who Has Data

    The real question is:

    Who owns the intelligence layer? And, this distinction matters enormously.

    Many African institutions generate enormous amounts of data every day:

    • Banks

    • Telcos

    • Hospitals

    • Governments

    • Schools

    • Retailers

    • Logistics companies

    • Churches

    • Insurance firms

    • Social platforms

    But much of that data remains trapped in silos…Disconnected…Unused…Unrefined…Like gold buried underground.

    The countries and companies that will dominate the next decade are not necessarily those generating the most data. They are the ones best able to connect it, interpret it, and act on it in real time.

    So, let’s think about this:

    Data Without Context Is Noise

    One mobile money transaction means little by itself.

    But billions of transactions over time can reveal:

    • consumer confidence,

    • migration patterns,

    • inflation pressure,

    • regional economic activity,

    • fraud trends,

    • business health,

    • creditworthiness,

    • and even public sentiment.

    One hospital visit is a medical event.

    Millions of health interactions become a national intelligence system capable of predicting disease outbreaks, medicine shortages, or healthcare demand before crises occur.

    One classroom result is a grade.

    National education data can reveal future workforce gaps, regional skill shortages, and economic vulnerabilities years in advance.

    This is why data is the new gold. Because intelligence is the new currency.

    The Danger of Exporting Raw Digital Resources

    Africa has historically exported raw commodities while importing finished products at higher value. There is now a risk that we repeat the same mistake digitally.

    If Africa exports raw data while importing foreign AI intelligence systems, we may once again sit on enormous natural wealth while others capture most of the value.

    This is why digital sovereignty matters….Not in a protectionist sense, but in a strategic sense.

    Countries that fail to build their own intelligence capabilities may eventually depend on external systems to understand their own economies, citizens, markets, and institutions.

    That dependency could become as significant as dependence on imported fuel or food.

    The Future Winners Will Build Intelligence Infrastructure

    The next generation of infrastructure will not only be roads, ports, and power plants.

    It will be:

    • AI infrastructure,

    • cloud infrastructure,

    • identity systems,

    • digital payment rails,

    • secure communication systems,

    • national data exchanges,

    • and enterprise intelligence platforms.

    This is where Africa has an opportunity. Because unlike heavy industrial revolutions that required centuries of accumulated capital, AI infrastructure can scale exponentially once digital foundations exist.

    The mobile revolution proved Africa could leapfrog. AI may prove Africa can lead.

    Why This Matters for Businesses

    Most companies still think they are in the business they started in.

    Banks think they are in banking.

    Telcos think they are in connectivity.

    Hospitals think they are in healthcare.

    Retailers think they are in commerce.

    But increasingly, they are all becoming intelligence companies. The winners will not simply provide services…They will understand behavior.

    The future competitive advantage may not come from who owns the largest physical infrastructure, but from who understands customers, operations, markets, and risks the fastest and most accurately.

    That is why communication platforms, enterprise systems, payment systems, customer interactions, and operational workflows are becoming strategically valuable.

    Every interaction creates intelligence; Every organization is quietly building a data mine; Most simply do not realize it yet.

    This emerging intelligence economy is also beginning to reshape enterprise software itself.

    Platforms such as Dodo Technologies are being designed not merely as communication tools, but as intelligence layers capable of transforming everyday business interactions into institutional knowledge and decision-making insight.

    In the past, companies primarily used software to store records and improve efficiency. Increasingly, they will use software to understand themselves.

    To identify patterns.

    To surface hidden risks.

    To predict customer behavior.

    To preserve institutional memory.

    And eventually, to assist leadership in making faster and more informed decisions.

    In the future, the most valuable enterprise platforms may not simply be the ones that store information, but the ones capable of understanding the relationships, patterns, opportunities, and intelligence hidden within it.

    That shift may ultimately redefine what enterprise technology means in Africa and beyond.

    The Gold Rush Has Already Started

    The AI race is often discussed as a technological race. In reality, it is also a data race. A sovereignty race. An infrastructure race. And perhaps most importantly, an intelligence race.

    The nations and companies that recognize this early will build extraordinary advantages over the next decade.

    The ones that do not may eventually discover that while they owned the gold, someone else built the refinery…And in the intelligence economy, the refinery is where the real wealth is created.

    In the decades ahead, historians may look back and realize that Africa’s digital transformation was not built only in data centers or boardrooms, but tower by tower, connection by connection, as the continent quietly constructed its AI nervous system.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • DVLA set for major expansion as it commissions 5 new ‘Ultra-Modern Centres’

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    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    In a significant move to decentralize its operations and enhance service delivery, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has announced the upcoming commissioning of five new facilities, including several “Ultra Centres” and a specialized Private Vehicle Test Station (PVTS).

    ​The series of events, scheduled for mid-April 2026, aims to bring essential licensing and vehicle testing services closer to residents in rapidly growing industrial and residential hubs across the Greater Accra and Central Regions.

    ​A Busy Week for Road Safety and Licensing

    ​The Authority will inaugurate these centres across two major dates, led by the Chief Executive, Mr. Julius Neequaye Kotey, along with Deputy Chief Executives Foster Akwasi Asante Esq. (Services) and Mr. Iddissah Yeboah Seidu (Operations).

    ​Monday, April 13, 2026

    ​The commissioning tour begins on Monday with three major launches:

    ​Anyaa Ultra Centre: The day kicks off at 10:00 am in Anyaa, providing a high-tech hub for motorists in the Ga Central area.

    ​Buduburam PVTS: At 12:00 pm, focus shifts to Buduburam for the opening of a Private Vehicle Test Station, specifically designed to streamline vehicle roadworthiness inspections.

    ​Kasoa Ultra Centre: The afternoon session concludes at 2:00 pm at the Tipper Junction in Kasoa. This event will be joined by Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, highlighting the importance of the facility to the local constituency.

    ​Wednesday, April 15, 2026

    ​Expansion continues later in the week with two additional centres:

    ​Ashaiman Ultra Centre: Operations will be officially launched at 10:00 am to serve the densely populated industrial enclave of Ashaiman.

    ​Teshie-Nungua Ultra Centre: The week’s activities wrap up at 1:00 pm with the opening of the Teshie-Nungua facility, expected to alleviate the pressure on the DVLA’s regional headquarters.

    ​Improving Service Delivery

    ​The “Ultra Centre” model represents the DVLA’s latest standard in service excellence, featuring modernized digital systems intended to reduce waiting times and eliminate the influence of unauthorized intermediaries, commonly known as “goro boys.”

    ​A spokesperson for the Authority emphasized that these new centres are part of a broader “Your Safety, Our Concern” initiative. By increasing the number of points of sale and testing stations, the DVLA expects to see a higher rate of vehicle compliance and more efficient processing of driver licenses.

     

     

     

     

  • Striking The Balance: Dr Asiama highlights ‘expensive’ trade-offs in Ghana’s path to stability

     

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    ​In a candid assessment of the nation’s monetary trajectory, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, has underscored the complex and often costly “trade-offs” required to maintain macroeconomic stability.

    ​Speaking on Sunday at the Governor’s Roundtable session during the 2026 Kwahu Business Forum, Dr. Asiama reflected on a year of aggressive fiscal intervention that successfully tamed inflation but left the central bank with a significant bill.

    ​The Price of Stability

    ​Reflecting on the economic progress made throughout 2025, the Governor noted that while the Cedi remains stable and under control, the achievement was not without its hurdles. He explained that the central bank’s primary challenge lies in the delicate equilibrium between fostering growth and curbing inflation.

    ​”The work we do is always about trade-offs… trying to strike the right balance,” Dr. Asiama told the gathering of industrialists and policymakers.

    ​The Governor revealed that the success of December 2025, which saw inflation plummet to 5.4%, the result of an “expensive” mopping-up exercise. To stabilize the currency and lower prices, the bank had to commit substantial financial resources to drain excess liquidity from the system.

     

    ​A Leaner Outlook for 2026

    ​Despite the high costs incurred last year, Dr. Asiama offered an optimistic forecast for the current fiscal year. He suggested that the heavy lifting of 2025 has created a more manageable environment for 2026.

    ​”If you look at where inflation was at the end of December 2024 and where it is now, it wouldn’t involve the same level of resources to keep it low and stable going forward,” he stated, signaling that the bank expects to maintain stability with less intensive capital expenditure this year.

     

    ​Strengthening the Credit Line

    ​A central theme of the Governor’s address was the symbiotic relationship between the central bank and the private sector. Dr. Asiama assured the business community that a stable macro-environment is the precursor to a more vibrant lending market.

    ​Market Strength: The bank aims to further strengthen financial institutions.

    ​Credit Accessibility: “When banks are strong, they can give more credit,” the Governor emphasized, linking central bank policy directly to the ease of doing business.

     

    ​High-Level Dialogue at Kwahu

    ​The Roundtable served as the grand finale to the three-day Kwahu Business Forum, which commenced on April 3. The event has become a pivotal hub for dialogue between the government and the private sector, aimed at stimulating industrial growth.

    ​The session saw a high-powered government delegation in attendance, including:

    ​Mr. Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to the President.

    ​Mrs. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister.

    ​Mr. Seth Terkper, Economic Advisor to the President.

    ​Ms. Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew, Legal Counsel to the President.

    ​As the forum concluded, the consensus among attendees was clear: while the cost of stability is high, the foundation laid in 2025 provides a promising springboard for Ghanaian businesses to thrive in a low-inflation environment throughout 2026.

     

     

  • Restoring a National Institution: The Leadership Blueprint Behind NIB’s Revival

    Chief Dr Doliwura Zakaria, Managing Director of NIB

     

    By Sanusi Zankawah (PhD);

    Senior Research Fellow, Africa Research and Consulting Centre

     

    In the annals of institutional recovery, there are turnarounds, and then there are interventions.

     

    The distinction is not semantic; it is substantive. A turnaround improves an institution. An intervention rescues it, redefines it, and repositions it as a national asset. The 2025 audited financial statements of the National Investment Bank Plc leave no room for ambiguity: what has occurred at NIB is not routine recovery, it is a decisive, leadership-driven transformation. And at the center of it all stands Chief Dr. Doliwura Zakaria.

     

    Before his assumption of office, the Bank’s story was one of distress that had lingered long enough to shape public perception. The institution had become synonymous with fragility, strained capital, weak profitability, operational inefficiencies, and a credibility deficit that made confidence both scarce and fragile. It was not merely a bank underperforming; it was a national institution at risk of being written off. In such circumstances, what is required is not administrative management, it is command leadership.

     

    Chief Doliwura did not inherit a system that needed fine-tuning; he inherited a system that required restoration. And restoration, by its nature, demands difficult choices, firm discipline, and an uncompromising commitment to results. What distinguishes his leadership is not just that the Bank improved, it is the speed, scale, and sustainability of that improvement.

     

    The 2025 audited figures are not just impressive, they are emphatic. Operating income surged to GHS 885.4 million, representing a 135% growth, a clear indication that the Bank’s revenue engine had been decisively reactivated. Profit after tax moved from a negligible GHS 2.8 million in 2024 to GHS 343.9 million in 2025, marking an extraordinary 12,280% growth. This is not incremental progress; it is a structural shift, one that reflects deliberate strategy, disciplined execution, and leadership that understands both risk and opportunity.

     

    Balance sheet performance reinforces this reality. Total assets expanded from GHS 5.84 billion to GHS 12.23 billion, while customer deposits grew from GHS 6.4 billion to GHS 10.19 billion. These are not passive outcomes. Deposits rise when trust returns. Assets grow when strategy is clear. These numbers are, in essence, a referendum on leadership and the verdict is unmistakable.

     

    Even more telling is the transformation of the Bank’s capital position. From a deficit of GHS 850.6 million, the Bank moved to a positive equity position of GHS 1.55 billion, while the Capital Adequacy Ratio surged from negative 47% to a positive 54.5%. In regulatory and financial terms, this represents a complete reversal, from instability to strength, from concern to compliance, from vulnerability to resilience. Such a shift does not happen by chance. It happens when leadership aligns capital, governance, and execution with precision.

     

    The audited financial position further confirms that this is not a temporary spike but a foundational reset. Total assets now stand at over GHS 12.2 billion, with deposits exceeding GHS 10.19 billion, anchoring liquidity and operational stability. The independent auditor’s issuance of an unmodified opinion affirms that these results are not only impressive, they are credible, compliant, and grounded in sound financial reporting standards.

     

    But numbers, as powerful as they are, tell only part of the story. The deeper transformation lies in the institutional culture engineered under Doliwura’s leadership. He understood, from the outset, that no financial recovery can be sustained without human alignment. His decision to aggressively invest in staff, through significant salary adjustments, restoration of long suspended benefits, and large scale promotions, was not populist; it was strategic. A workforce that had endured stagnation for years was re-energized, restructured, and reoriented toward performance.

     

    The scale of this intervention is itself revealing. Salary adjustments exceeding 140% cumulatively and promotions for over 500 staff who had stagnated for years.

     

    Professionalization was equally prioritized, with leadership and branch managers enrolled in certification programs, embedding competence at the core of the Bank’s future.

     

    At the same time, Chief Doliwura imposed strict operational discipline. Costs were reduced by approximately 25%, inefficiencies were eliminated, and technology modernization was accelerated. This balance—investing in people while enforcing cost discipline, is the hallmark of strategic leadership. It reflects an understanding that growth without efficiency is unsustainable, and efficiency without morale is ineffective. He achieved both.

     

    It is also critical to recognize that while recapitalization by government provided necessary financial support, it did not guarantee success. Many institutions have received capital injections without achieving transformation. What distinguishes NIB is that capital was not consumed, it was converted. Converted into growth, into profitability, and into confidence. That conversion is the true measure of leadership.

     

    Even within regulatory disclosures, the turnaround is evident. Capital adequacy, liquidity, and risk indicators all show marked improvement compared to the previous year, signaling that the Bank is not merely performing, it is stabilizing on a stronger foundation. This is the difference between recovery and resilience.

     

    What emerges from this entire episode is a leadership profile that is both rare and instructive. Doliwura is not leading by accident. His background as a chartered accountant, a PhD holder, and a seasoned professional and academician are reflected in the precision of his decisions. His identity as a traditional leader is reflected in the values he brings, discipline, accountability, stewardship, and a deep sense of responsibility to people and institution alike. He does not merely manage systems; he aligns them. He does not merely respond to problems; he anticipates and restructures them.

     

    And perhaps most importantly, he has demonstrated the ability to mobilize belief within the institution, among stakeholders, and across the broader financial ecosystem. That is the hardest currency to earn, and once earned, it becomes the foundation of sustainable success.

     

    The story of the National Investment Bank today is no longer one of survival. It is one of resurgence. It is a story backed not by projections, but by audited results; not by promises, but by performance. It is a reminder that even institutions on the brink can be restored when leadership is firm, competent, and uncompromising in its standards.

     

    From a sorry state to a success story, the transformation of NIB is, at its core, the story of leadership that refused to accept decline as destiny. It is the story of Chief Dr. Doliwura Awushi Zakaria, whose tenure has not only revived a Bank but redefined what is possible when discipline meets vision, and when leadership is anchored in results rather than rhetoric.

     

    End

     

  • Cabinet orders “Complete Reset” of SIM registration; greenlights competitive 5G auction

    Cabinet orders “Complete Reset” of SIM registration; greenlights competitive 5G auction

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

    In a major overhaul of Ghana’s digital landscape, the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, has announced that Cabinet has approved a brand-new national SIM registration exercise.

    The move, described as a “complete reset” rather than a continuation of previous efforts, aims to address deep-seated vulnerabilities in the country’s telecommunications security framework.

    A Shift from the 2021 Framework

    The Minister disclosed the decision during high-level consultations with the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications.

    According to Mr. George, an extensive review of the 2021 registration drive revealed critical failures that necessitated a fresh start. These challenges included:

    ● Weak Biometric Enforcement: Loopholes that allowed for non-compliant registrations.

    ● Data Inconsistencies: Discrepancies between telco databases and national identification records.

    ● Registration Fraud: Rise in pre-registered SIM cards used for criminal activities.

    “The new approach will not be a continuation of the previous system but a complete reset aimed at restoring credibility and strengthening security,” the Minister emphasized.

    The New Security Architecture

    To prevent a recurrence of past issues, the government is introducing several robust technical measures:

    ● Centralized Data Repository: The NCA will now serve as the primary host for all SIM registration data.

    ● Mandatory Biometrics: Strict biometric verification will be the cornerstone of the new framework.

    ● CEIR Implementation: A Central Equipment Identity Register will be established to allow authorities to block stolen or fraud-linked devices across all networks simultaneously.

    ● New Legislation: A revised Legislative Instrument (L.I.) is currently being drafted to provide a solid legal backing for the exercise.

    5G Deployment: Exclusivity Scrapped

    Beyond SIM cards, the meeting marked a pivotal shift in Ghana’s high-speed internet strategy. Cabinet has officially approved the removal of the exclusivity clause from the previous wholesale 5G framework.

    This decision paves the way for a competitive spectrum auction, allowing multiple operators to vie for the rights to deploy 5G technology. While the wholesale model remains an option, the revised policy encourages a network-based rollout to ensure universal coverage across the country.

    Industry Response and Next Steps

    While telecom operators welcomed the clarity on 5G, they raised concerns regarding the capital-intensive nature of the technology. Industry leaders called for:

    1. Reasonable Spectrum Pricing: To ensure the auction is accessible.

    2. Infrastructure Support: Streamlined regulatory approvals for cell site expansion.

    3. Predictable Policy: Ensuring long-term investment security.

    The Ministry and the Telecoms Chamber have agreed to immediate technical engagements to refine the rollout roadmap. The next major milestones will be the publication of the 5G auction documentation and the finalization of the new SIM registration L.I.

    Comparison: Ghana’s SIM Registration Frameworks (2021 vs. 2026)

    Below is a detailed breakdown comparing the 2021 nationwide SIM registration exercise with the newly approved 2026 framework announced by Communication Minister Samuel Nartey George.

    Feature 2021 Registration Exercise 2026 Registration Framework (Proposed)

    Status/Classification The previous administration’s model; now described by the current government as “plagued by challenges.” “A Complete Reset” approved by Cabinet; a completely new nationwide exercise.

    Data Repository Individual telecommunication operators (Telcos) maintained separate customer databases. Centralized Database: The National Communications Authority (NCA) will serve as the single central repository.

    Biometric Verification Weak Enforcement: Data inconsistencies and non-compliant biometric capture were common. Mandatory Enforcement: Rigid biometric verification will be required for every registration.

    Anti-Fraud Tools Limited ability to block fraudulent devices across different operator networks. CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register): Implementation enabling cross-network blocking of stolen or fraud-linked devices.

    Legal Basis Based on the existing 2011 Subscriber Identity Module Registration Regulations (L.I. 2006). Revised Legislation: A new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) is being drafted specifically to regulate this reset.

    Key Issues Addressed Aimed to link all SIM cards to the Ghana Card, but suffered from implementation flaws. Credibility and Security: Designed specifically to fix weak biometric enforcement and stop data-driven fraud.

     

     

     

     

  • Energy Commission gets new boss …as Adwoa Serwaa Bondzie assume office ​

    Adwoa Serwaa Bondzie, Acting Executive Secretary of Energy Commission

    ​

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

    The President of the Republic of Ghana has appointed Adwoa Serwaa Bondzie as the Acting Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission. The appointment, which takes effect immediately, marks a significant leadership transition for the nation’s energy regulator.

    ​Until her elevation to this role, Ms. Bondzie served as the Acting Deputy Managing Director of the Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Limited (BOST), where she played a pivotal role in downstream energy management.

    ​Official Transition

    ​The formal announcement was communicated to the management and staff of the Energy Commission by the Board Secretary on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Following the directive, Ms. Bondzie has officially assumed her duties, stepping into the role at a critical juncture for Ghana’s energy sector.

    ​A Warm Welcome Amidst Reforms

    ​The Board, management, and staff have reportedly extended a warm welcome to the new Acting Executive Secretary. Her arrival coincides with a period of intensive administrative and regulatory reforms aimed at modernizing the Commission’s operations.

    ​Sources within the Commission indicate that the current Board has been providing rigorous oversight to ensure:

    ​Regulatory Effectiveness: Streamlining policies to meet international energy standards.

    Fair Administrative Practices: Enhancing transparency in internal and external dealings.

    ​Human Resource Strengthening: Building the technical and professional capacity of the Commission’s workforce.

    ​Strategic Outlook

    ​With her background at BOST, Ms. Bondzie is expected to bring a wealth of operational experience to the Energy Commission. Her leadership will be vital as the Commission navigates the complexities of Ghana’s evolving energy landscape, focusing on both traditional power regulation and the shift toward sustainable energy solutions.

     

  • Julius Neequaye  empowers NDC grassroots with over 1,000 jobs at DVLA ​

    ​

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    In fulfillment of his commitment to empower the rank and file of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, has empowered over a thousand grassroots with jobs.

    ​Popularly known as “Logas” and affectionately dubbed the “Grassroots Chief of Staff,” is being celebrated for overseeing the recruitment of over 1,000 contract staff to man newly established DVLA stations across the country.

    The move has sent ripples of excitement throughout the country has been hailed by the party leadership and grassroots for such direct intervention in youth unemployment.

    ​Action Over Excuses

    ​Political observers and party loyalists have noted that while many officials often cite economic constraints as reasons for slow progress, Kotey has taken a proactive approach.

    “I’m not one to make excuses for people, but we must speak the truth when we see it, one supporter noted” a member of the ruling party praised Julius Neequaye Kotey, saying he has proven his worth. “He has directly empowered our people with real opportunities instead of just promises.”

    ​The recruitment drive is seen as a strategic move to not only improve the service delivery of the DVLA by expanding its footprint but to also ensure that the “footsoldiers” who represent the backbone of the party are not left behind.

    ​A Wave of Appreciation

    ​The news has sparked a wave of prayers and gratitude from party footsoldiers, many of whom have struggled to find stable employment.

    ​”God bless him for looking out for the grassroots,” a beneficiary shared. “While others complain, he is delivering results. These are the kind of leaders who deserve our appreciation and prayers.”

     

    ​Setting a Standard for Leadership

    ​By filling these roles with local talent to manage the new stations, Kotey is being credited with bridging the gap between administrative leadership and the party’s grassroots base. This move is expected to boost morale within the NDC as the party looks toward future organizational goals.

    ​As the new recruits begin their training and deployment, the consensus among the grassroots remains clear: Julius Neequaye Kotey is a leader who understands that the strength of a movement lies in the empowerment of its people.