The Bank of Ghana has marked a significant milestone in Africa’s digital finance journey as it hosted a high-level International Monetary Fund seminar on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and digital payments.
The gathering drew central bank governors, IMF leaders, and international development partners in a pivotal moment for the continent’s financial innovation agenda.
Dr. Johnson P. Asiama, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, emphasised the transformative potential of digital financial systems in advancing inclusive growth across the continent. He described the event as a timely and strategic shift from virtual forums to in-person collaboration, aimed at deepening partnerships and co-developing solutions to some of Africa’s most urgent financial infrastructure challenges.
“Cross-border payments remain burdened by high costs, delays, and regulatory fragmentation,” Dr. Asiama stated.
“These inefficiencies not only affect remittances, often lifelines for families, but also constrain small businesses and complicate regulatory oversight.”
The Governor underscored the Bank of Ghana’s commitment to regional cooperation and innovation, citing the country’s leadership in the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which now connects 15 central banks and more than 50 commercial banks across Africa.
He also highlighted two groundbreaking joint initiatives with the National Bank of Rwanda: the FinTech License Passporting Framework, which promotes cross-border regulatory alignment, and the Africa NextGen Digital Payment Infrastructure (DPI) initiative, designed to create a secure and inclusive digital financial architecture tailored for African needs.
Dr. Asiama called for greater policy coherence and agility across the continent. He advocated for the adoption of multi-regulator sandboxes, enhanced Supervisory Technologies (SupTech), and the shaping of international standards in anti-money laundering (AML), digital identity, and data privacy to reflect African realities rather than external prescriptions.
“Behind the technology are real people,” he reminded attendees. “From the mother receiving remittances to the entrepreneur looking to scale, these human stories must guide our reforms.”
Participants were encouraged to engage in open dialogue and to challenge conventional approaches while proposing bold, collaborative solutions. The seminar, which continues over the next two days, is expected to produce actionable insights and reinforce a shared regional vision for a resilient, interoperable, and people-centred digital financial ecosystem.
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
