Africa’s digital finance ecosystem, he noted, is entering a new and accelerated phase powered by rapid technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and the steady evolution from basic mobile money services into fully integrated digital financial systems.

Speaking during a virtual fireside chat at the 3i Africa Summit in Accra, Mr. Mupita said the continent is on the verge of a major leap in financial inclusion, with digital platforms increasingly reshaping payments, credit systems, remittances, and cross-border trade.

He explained that the pace of transformation driven by AI and growing smartphone penetration is compressing development timelines and unlocking opportunities that were once expected to take a decade or more to materialise.

According to him, Africa has already recorded significant progress through mobile money systems, which have evolved from simple peer-to-peer transfer tools into large-scale financial ecosystems now contributing to global transaction volumes estimated at around US$2 trillion.

Mr. Mupita indicated that the next phase of growth will move beyond USSD-based mobile money services toward a more advanced, smartphone-driven digital finance ecosystem. This, he said, will integrate nano-lending, digital banking, remittance services, and emerging technologies such as stablecoins and crypto-enabled solutions.

He described this shift as a structural transition from mobile money to full-scale digital finance, adding that it represents a powerful engine for economic growth and financial inclusion across the continent.

Mr. Mupita further emphasized the central role of telco-led platforms in democratizing access to financial services. By leveraging extensive distribution networks, he said telecommunications companies have significantly lowered the cost of reaching underserved populations—something traditional financial institutions have struggled to achieve at scale.

He noted that this expansion has helped bring millions of Africans into the formal financial system, particularly benefiting the continent’s rapidly growing youth population and supporting broader economic participation.

Drawing parallels with India’s digital transformation journey, Mr. Mupita said Africa has a similar opportunity to harness digital finance to boost productivity, deepen trade, and create jobs at scale.

However, he cautioned that regulatory certainty remains essential to sustaining momentum and attracting long-term investment. He called for forward-looking policies that strike a balance between innovation and consumer protection.

He also highlighted the global nature of challenges such as fraud and digital scams, stressing the need for robust regulatory frameworks to build trust in digital financial systems.

On cross-border payments, Mr. Mupita argued that Africa must move beyond fragmented national systems toward a fully integrated regional digital finance architecture that reduces friction in trade and currency exchange.

He said the future of African commerce lies in seamless financial interoperability across countries, enabling truly borderless digital transactions.

He pointed to institutions such as the African Export-Import Bank and other financial infrastructure actors as key drivers already laying the foundation for more efficient cross-border payment systems.

Addressing the role of artificial intelligence, Mr. Mupita said AI presents major opportunities in fraud detection, credit scoring, and customer service optimisation. However, he stressed that its deployment must be guided by responsibility and strong oversight to preserve trust in the financial ecosystem.

While AI will significantly enhance efficiency and innovation, he noted that human supervision will remain indispensable in safeguarding the integrity of digital finance systems.

Mr. Mupita concluded that Africa’s digital finance future will be anchored on three core pillars—resilience, trust, and regional integration—adding that coordinated leadership across the continent will be critical to unlocking sustainable socio-economic transformation.

He stressed that the next phase of growth will be defined by how effectively stakeholders balance innovation with protection while building a truly interconnected digital economy across Africa.

The track comes ahead of the celebration of “Mother’s Day”, while it speaks to a wound that millions carry in silence. Written with grieving children, lost daughters, and confused sons in mind, “Hero” is Stella’s tender reminder that their pain is seen, their stories are valid, and they are not alone.

“Hero” is a gem of tonal balance with resonant, layered vocals that evoke a soft and comforting hug rather than a performance. Stella brilliantly combines the soulful rhythm of dance music with the warmth of Afrobeats. The production lends the song a calming, almost therapeutic feel that lingers in your mind.

The Ghanaian singer has been putting out work for a while now, and “Hero” fits naturally into what she has been building. Music that tends to mean something and is sonically impressive.

“Hero” is available now on all major streaming platforms here https://stellasena.com/hero/

The initiative, officially launched on April 14, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, is the result of a collaborative effort led by the National Coordination Board for Drowning Prevention, with technical support from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU), and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The event brought together key stakeholders from national security agencies, emergency services, local government, development partners, and coastal communities, all united by a shared commitment to tackling one of Ghana’s most persistent yet preventable public safety challenges.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Hon. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, who served as Guest of Honour, underscored the urgency of addressing drowning as a national priority. He noted that the issue demands immediate and sustained attention, emphasizing that, “Drowning is not a distant or occasional problem, but it is a present and persistent threat.” He further highlighted the broader meaning of safety in everyday life, stating that, “For many Ghanaians, security is not abstract but is the confidence that daily activities, including work, travel, and recreation, are carried out safely.”

Drowning continues to claim an estimated 1,400 lives annually in Ghana, with children and young people among the most affected. Yet, stakeholders at the launch emphasized that these tragic losses are largely preventable through coordinated action, public awareness, and the deployment of trained personnel. The initiative is therefore focused on introducing practical and sustainable measures that will stop drowning before it occurs, including the deployment of trained lifeguards, improved safety systems at beaches, and stronger collaboration among institutions responsible for public safety.

Early implementation is already showing promising results in parts of the Greater Accra Region, particularly within the La Dade Kotopon Municipality, where 21 trained lifeguards have been deployed across Laboma, La Pleasure, and Acapulco beaches. Their presence is not only improving safety conditions but also restoring public confidence, as beachgoers are assured that trained responders are on hand in case of emergencies. These lifeguards have received professional training in water rescue, CPR, first aid, and risk assessment, and are employed and paid by the municipal assembly—an important step toward long-term sustainability.

The initiative is firmly grounded in multi-sector collaboration, bringing together institutions such as the Ghana Navy, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Police Service, National Ambulance Service, and the National Security Council Secretariat, alongside local government authorities and community stakeholders. Commodore Ben Baba Abdul of the Ghana Navy stressed the importance of this collective effort, stating, “We believe that drowning is not the responsibility of one institution, but a shared duty that calls for unity of purpose.”

A significant highlight of the event was the inauguration of the National Coordination Board for Drowning Prevention, which is expected to provide strategic leadership, ensure effective coordination among stakeholders, and guide the long-term expansion of drowning prevention efforts across the country. With support from international partners, the initiative is aligned with global best practices and positioned for sustainable growth.

The launch also underscored the importance of community involvement, with cultural performances and local participation reinforcing the message that preventing drowning requires both institutional commitment and public responsibility. Stakeholders collectively called on all Ghanaians to adopt safe practices around water bodies and to support ongoing efforts to protect lives.

As Ghana moves forward, the national lifeguarding initiative represents a critical milestone in the country’s journey toward reducing preventable deaths and strengthening public safety. With continued leadership, partnership, and community engagement, the initiative is expected to expand its reach and impact, ultimately ensuring that beaches and water bodies across the country become safer for all.

Ambassador Victor Emmanuel Smith was emphatic about his desire to see corporate giants like Boeing, Amazon and Microsoft, extending their business interests to Ghana, to boost the economy and create opportunities for Ghanaians.

His tour of the headquarters of Boeing and Amazon in Seattle, gave a glimmer of hope that in the near future, Ghana might be hosting the African base of these giants in their various industries.

“My focus is to help create opportunities for Ghanaians so the Mission is creating avenues for the diaspora to partner with foreign companies to bring investors to Ghana”, Ambassador Victor Smith said at a gala organized in his honour by the Ghana Association of Greater Seattle (GHASEA), as part of the anniversary celebrations.

He challenged Ghanaians to strive to draw investors to Ghana to explore the numerous opportunities in the country, asking them to proudly hoist the flag of Ghana wherever they go.

In response to a request by the President of GHASEA and a question on when and what it would take for a consulate to be established in Washington State, Ambassador Smith disclosed that, a request had been sent to the Authorities on the matter and it is being considered.

He explained that some other states had also made similar requests but the final determination is left with the Authorities, after assessment factors such as population and feasibility are measured.

Dr. Francis Abugbilla, President of GHASEA,  for his part, underscored the importance of government-diaspora relationship in nation building, affirming the Ghanaian community’s readiness to assist in that respect.

“Your Exccellency,  I wish to reaffirm that GHASEA stands ready to support your vision of deepening trade and investment between the United States and Ghana,” Dr. Abugbilla emphasised.

He made a case for the establishment of a Ghana Consular office in Seattle to meet the demand for that service by the growing number of Ghanaians in that part of the US.

Under the leadership of Fred Engmann, the Planning Committee delivered a highly coordinated and impactful programme for the 69th Independence celebration, elevating the Grand Durbar organized by GHASEA into a dynamic platform that blended cultural excellence with strategic engagement. Through meticulous preparation and disciplined execution, the committee curated authentic cultural programming, ensured seamless operations, and—critically—mobilized potential diaspora investors by positioning the event as both a heritage celebration and an economic bridge to Ghana. This integrated approach generated strong interest and enthusiasm across the GHASEA team and the Ambassadors’ entourage, a contribution explicitly acknowledged in the Ambassador’s speech, during which select members of the community were also formally recognized with citations for their service and impact.

The Ambassador was earlier  at a business forum with Ghanaians and other businessmen and women in the area, where he outlined measures being put in place to facilitate investment and trade between Ghana and the diaspora.

It is the expectation of the Ghanaian population in Seattle and Washington State in general, that the visit, the first in about three decades, would yield the desired results in drawing more investment to Ghana and ensure more access to services from the Ghanaian Mission in Washington DC.

The donation, carried out on her behalf by her representative, Mr. John Nyamekeh, saw the presentation of essential items to patients in the maternity ward, aimed at easing the immediate needs of nursing mothers and supporting the work of healthcare staff. The items included baby supplies, hygiene products, and other necessities critical to maternal and neonatal care. The presentation was formally received by the Hospital Administrator, Eunice Naa Tarchie Nartey, who expressed appreciation on behalf of the facility.

In a particularly touching gesture, Hon. Afo-Toffey also settled all medical bills for mothers who delivered babies at the hospital on her birthday, ensuring that each family could return home without the burden of financial obligations.

Speaking during the visit, Mr. Nyamekeh conveyed the MP’s message that childbirth should remain a moment of joy, not anxiety. He reiterated her commitment to supporting maternal health services, particularly in district hospitals that serve as the first point of care for many families across the constituency.

The maternity ward at Half Assini Hospital remains a critical healthcare hub for surrounding communities, where dedicated midwives and nurses continue to provide care despite the pressures of limited resources and increasing patient demand. Gestures such as this also highlight the broader need for sustained investment in maternal healthcare infrastructure.

Hospital staff expressed gratitude for the MP’s intervention, describing it as both timely and impactful. Beneficiaries, many visibly emotional, conveyed appreciation for the support, noting that the unexpected relief would make a significant difference to their families.

Hon. Afo-Toffey reaffirmed her commitment to healthcare delivery in the Jomoro Constituency, indicating that initiatives aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes would remain a priority.

Mr. Agambila, who recently returned from a year abroad in the diaspora, said his observations on the ground in Bolgatanga paint a different reality from the policy’s intent.

“In a town like Bolgatanga, life effectively comes to a standstill after 8 pm,” he said. “Only a handful of shops remain open beyond that time. The main market in the regional capital already struggles with daytime armed robbery incidents. If that’s the situation during daylight, one can only imagine what a 24-hour market on the outskirts of town would look like at night.”

He raised concerns about the practicality and safety of locating 24-hour commercial hubs away from town centers, especially given land acquisition challenges faced by local assemblies.

Beyond security, Mr. Agambila pointed to deeply rooted cultural traditions in parts of Northern Ghana that make nighttime economic activity difficult.

“In some Northern traditions, once the main gate of a compound is closed at night, no one is permitted to leave. Even young men have to climb a ladder at the back of the house to re-enter after late hours,” he explained. “These customs shape daily life and commerce in ways a one-size-fits-all policy may not account for.”

While acknowledging the vision behind the 24-hour economy, Mr. Agambila said its rollout must be grounded in local realities, security infrastructure, and cultural context to be effective.

“The idea is bold and forward-looking, but implementation in the North requires careful dialogue with traditional authorities, security agencies, and the business community,” he said.

He urged the government to engage grassroots stakeholders across the regions to tailor the policy so it addresses both economic growth and community safety.

The 24-hour economy remains one of President Mahama’s flagship initiatives aimed at boosting productivity, creating jobs, and stimulating continuous economic activity across the country.

Rubio told reporters at the White House that Operation Epic Fury, the roughly two-month military campaign that initiated a US-Israel war with Iran, had effectively concluded. “The operation is over. Epic Fury, as the president notified Congress, we’re done with that stage of it. We’re now on to this Project Freedom,” he said.

The declaration was aimed squarely at mounting congressional pressure. The Trump administration cited the April 8 ceasefire in asserting that the president did not need to provide a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution (WPR), the law that typically requires presidents to seek formal legislative approval for war activities 60 days after beginning military action. That 60-day window expired last Friday.

In its place, Rubio described Project Freedom, a narrower naval mission to escort stranded commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, as a separate defensive operation. “This is not an offensive operation,” Rubio said. “There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first.” He acknowledged the mission would not fully reopen the strait, but characterised it as a necessary challenge to what he called Iran’s economic stranglehold on global shipping.

The humanitarian stakes are significant. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that roughly 22,500 mariners on more than 1,550 commercial vessels remain trapped in the Arabian Gulf due to Iranian restrictions on shipping.

The diplomatic picture remained unresolved. Rubio stressed that any peace agreement must include Iran’s nuclear programme, specifically addressing more than 900 pounds (408 kilograms) of highly enriched uranium that Tehran has not surrendered. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are continuing to pursue a diplomatic path.

The ceasefire came under direct strain on Monday and continued Tuesday. The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said its air defences engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it called renewed terrorist, unprovoked Iranian attacks targeting civilian sites and facilities in the country. A drone sparked a large fire at a key oil facility in the emirate of Fujairah, wounding three Indian nationals.

Despite the attacks, the White House stopped short of declaring the ceasefire broken. Rubio said a ceasefire in the Middle East was still holding, while adding that for peace to be achieved, Iran must agree to US demands on its nuclear programme and also commit to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

By Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump announced a further shift. Trump said he had paused the US effort to guide stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place while the administration pursues what he described as a complete and final agreement with Iran’s representatives.

The Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology announced the new agreements on Tuesday, saying they will enable government evaluation of AI models before they are publicly available, as well as post-deployment assessments and other research.

Previously announced partnerships with Anthropic and OpenAI, first launched in 2024, are also ongoing and have been renegotiated to reflect updated directives from the Commerce secretary and President Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan.

CAISI Director Chris Fall said independent measurement science is essential to understanding frontier AI and its national security implications, adding that the expanded industry collaborations help the centre scale its work at a critical moment.

Under the framework, developers frequently provide CAISI with models that have reduced or removed safeguards so that evaluators can probe for national security risks. Evaluators from across government may participate in assessments through the CAISI-convened TRAINS Taskforce, a group of interagency experts focused on AI national security concerns.

CAISI said it had already completed more than 40 evaluations, including on cutting-edge models not yet available to the public.

Microsoft offered public comment on the arrangement. Microsoft Chief Responsible AI Officer Natasha Crampton said CAISI offers technical, scientific and national security expertise that complements Microsoft’s own internal testing. Google declined to comment further on the agreement.

The move marks a notable policy turn. The agreement fulfils a pledge the Trump administration made in July to partner with technology companies to vet their AI models for national security risks. Trump had previously signed executive orders aimed at removing regulatory barriers to AI development, framing the technology as central to America’s global competitiveness.

The timing is significant. Anthropic’s Mythos model, which the company said is far ahead of other models in terms of cybersecurity capabilities, has sparked concern among governments, banks and utility companies over the past month, raising questions about the pace of AI development and the adequacy of existing oversight mechanisms.

Anthropic announced a joint venture focused on deploying enterprise AI services, with Blackstone, Hellman and Friedman, and Goldman Sachs as founding partners, backed by a broader group of investors including Apollo Global Management, General Atlantic, GIC, Leonard Green, and Sequoia Capital. The venture is valued at $1.5 billion, anchored by $300 million commitments each from Anthropic, Blackstone, and Hellman and Friedman.

The new firm is a standalone entity with Anthropic engineering resources embedded directly within its team, a structure that mirrors Palantir’s forward-deployment model and puts Anthropic in direct competition with the world’s largest consulting firms for the lucrative business of corporate AI transformation.

Goldman Sachs’ Marc Nachmann said the venture would help democratise access to forward-deployed engineers for companies that currently cannot afford the talent or the consulting fees to build AI systems independently. Blackstone President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Gray said the firm aims to break down one of the most significant bottlenecks to enterprise AI adoption, namely the scarcity of engineers who can implement frontier AI systems at speed.

Hours before the Anthropic announcement, Bloomberg reported that rival OpenAI had raised more than $4 billion from investors including TPG, Brookfield Asset Management, Advent and Bain Capital for a firm focused on helping businesses leverage its AI software. OpenAI’s new venture is called The Deployment Company, valued at $10 billion excluding the newly raised funds, and will be majority owned and controlled by OpenAI. Other backers include SoftBank Group and Dragoneer Investment Group.

The overall logic of the two ventures is the same: raising money from alternative asset managers to create new channels for enterprise AI deals. The ventures will presumably get preferred sales access to their investors’ portfolio companies, while the investors capture more value from any resulting contracts.

Partners for OpenAI’s new joint venture will get access to more than 2,000 portfolio companies and clients, with the aim of using those relationships to enable more businesses to adopt AI.

Both moves come as the two companies fundraise at a rapid pace. OpenAI announced $122 billion in new funding at the end of March against a valuation of $852 billion, while Anthropic is in the final stages of its own funding round, seeking $50 billion in new funding against a $900 billion valuation.

The agents are built to handle tasks such as drafting pitch decks for client meetings, reviewing financial statements, and escalating cases for compliance review, with tools aimed at professionals across banking, insurance, asset management and financial technology.

Each template is designed to be customised around a firm’s internal standards, including how it structures models, manages risk, and routes decisions for approval. Deployment options include integration within Claude Cowork and Claude Code, where the agents assist human analysts in real time, or via Claude Managed Agents, a hosted model in which Anthropic provides the underlying production infrastructure for more autonomous operation.

The announcements, made at an invite-only Anthropic briefing in New York, follow a week of sweeping financial sector moves. The reveal came just one day after Anthropic disclosed a $1.5 billion joint venture with Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, and private equity firm Hellman and Friedman, a deal structured to help businesses integrate AI across their operations.

Anthropic also announced that its Claude model can now work across Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word through add-ins that became generally available on Tuesday, with Outlook support coming later. Because the integrations maintain a shared context across applications, a task begun in Excel can flow directly into a PowerPoint presentation without requiring users to re-enter data.

On the data partnership front, Moody’s has launched a separate app that gives Claude users access to credit ratings and data on more than 600 million public and private companies, while new connectors from Dun and Bradstreet, Verisk, Third Bridge, and others expand the range of financial data sources Claude can access.

Separately, financial technology company Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), which processes nearly 12 percent of the global economy, announced a partnership with Anthropic to build a Financial Crimes AI Agent designed to compress anti-money laundering (AML) investigations from hours to minutes. BMO and Amalgamated Bank are among the first institutions to deploy the agent, with broader availability planned for the second half of 2026.

Underpinning the new agents is Claude Opus 4.7, which Anthropic says now leads Vals AI’s Finance Agent benchmark with a score of 64.4 percent. Clients that have adopted Claude include JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citi, AIG, and Visa.

Nicholas Lin, Anthropic’s head of product for financial services, pointed to rapid momentum across the sector. “I’ve honestly seen a dramatic change, especially in the past six months,” Lin said.

Anthropic’s annualised revenue has reached roughly $30 billion, up from $1 billion in January 2025, growth described as having no precedent in American technology history. The company is widely seen as a strong candidate for an initial public offering (IPO) this year, competing directly with OpenAI, which is pursuing its own Wall Street joint venture and was last valued at $852 billion. Anthropic was last valued at $380 billion.

Despite the momentum, the United States Treasury chief publicly urged bank executives to approach Anthropic’s recent AI releases with caution in late April, a signal that regulators are watching the pace at which agentic AI is being deployed inside critical financial infrastructure.

The incident allegedly occurred on May 2, 2026, as Cheng arrived at the venue for a match at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London, where her team, Chinese Taipei, was set to face South Korea.

The Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association said it was notified of the incident at approximately 1:40pm London time, when coaches reported that a female player said she had been subjected to inappropriate sexual harassment by security personnel while entering the venue. The association said the staff member involved was immediately removed from duty and would not continue working at the event.

Cheng, ranked 34 years old and Taiwan’s highest-ranked woman at the tournament, did not feature in any of her team’s matches following the incident. Despite her absence, Chinese Taipei defeated South Korea 3-1 in their opening women’s team match.

Cheng initially did not identify herself publicly, but later chose to break her silence on Instagram, framing the incident as part of a broader pattern of mistreatment faced by women in sport. “As athletes, we endure immense physical and mental pressure in pursuit of better performance on the field, and we are also forced to confront various forms of unfair treatment,” she wrote. “These are not just my experiences, but challenges faced by countless female athletes around the world. That’s why this time, I’ve chosen to stand up. To speak out for all female athletes. Sports needs more than just equal opportunities; it needs the serious protection of human rights.”

The ITTF, World Table Tennis (WTT), and the Local Organising Committee said in a joint statement that they were deeply troubled by the account and described what was reported as completely unacceptable. “Every athlete deserves to feel safe, respected, and protected at all times and in all spaces,” the statement said, adding that a comprehensive fact-finding and safeguarding investigation is currently underway.

The ITTF acknowledged that the United Kingdom is currently operating under heightened security threat levels, which necessitate stringent entry protocols at the venue, but stressed that these protocols must always be executed professionally and appropriately.

Cheng concluded her Instagram post by vowing to continue competing. “I will continue to strive and never back down,” she wrote.

The case has drawn attention globally to the conditions under which female athletes compete and the responsibility of sporting organisations to ensure their safety and dignity at events.

The figures, drawn from the company’s 2025 Sustainability Report and its first-quarter 2026 financial results, expose a deepening tension at the heart of Nigeria’s digital economy: surging demand for data services is generating strong revenue, but powering the infrastructure behind that growth is becoming increasingly expensive.

MTN Nigeria consumed over one million gigajoules of energy in 2025, equivalent to approximately 277 million kilowatt-hours, reflecting the scale of operations across its base stations, data centres, switching facilities, offices and vehicle fleet. Diesel accounted for 58.11 percent of total energy consumption, far exceeding gas-powered Independent Power Producers at 23.63 percent and electricity from the national grid at 18.04 percent. Renewable sources including solar contributed just 0.05 percent.

Gas-powered electricity and inverter solutions together saved the company approximately 8.5 billion naira in 2025, with gas accounting for 8.1 billion naira of that figure. A further 352.6 million naira was saved through high-efficiency cooling systems and inverter installations. However, with operational expenses running at 1.39 trillion naira ($1.01 billion), the savings remained marginal relative to overall costs.

MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola warned in the Q1 2026 report that the company expects a 1.8 to 2.0 percentage point decline in full-year Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) margins if diesel prices average 2,000 naira per litre in the second half of 2026. At current revenue levels, a two percentage point margin drop translates into an estimated 140 billion naira ($102 million) hit to profitability.

The irony of the situation is stark. MTN Nigeria posted a 165.9 percent surge in profit after tax to 355.5 billion naira in the first quarter of 2026, driven by a 41.8 percent rise in service revenue. Data revenue alone grew 56.2 percent. Yet each gigabyte now costs more to deliver as energy expenses outpace revenue gains.

Nigeria’s natural gas reserves, estimated at over 215 trillion cubic feet, offer a potential alternative to diesel. However, gas supply constraints have already affected power generation nationwide, with 16 of the country’s 33 power plants reportedly operating below capacity or sitting idle in early 2026 due to fuel shortages, raising questions about how quickly the transition can scale.

An analysis of where the energy goes illustrates why switching fuels is so difficult. Data centres alone consumed 38.2 percent of total electricity use, reflecting the surge in digital infrastructure demand. Base transceiver stations (BTS) accounted for 31.6 percent, switching facilities 21.2 percent, and office buildings 8.7 percent. These high-demand facilities require constant, reliable power, which renewable sources cannot yet supply at scale.

Greenhouse gas emissions from MTN Nigeria’s direct operations and electricity use stood at approximately 106,588 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, a 4.8 percent increase over the prior year, driven by network expansion and greater reliance on diesel due to grid instability, Toriola noted.

Telecom operators across Nigeria consume more than 40 million litres of diesel monthly to power network infrastructure, according to the Africa Finance Corporation’s State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2025, translating into more than 480 million litres annually and industry-wide spending estimated at over $350 million.

The MTN Nigeria case underscores a challenge shared across Africa’s telecom sector: rapid digital growth is structurally dependent on reliable energy, and in markets where grid infrastructure remains underdeveloped, that dependency is proving costly for operators and the consumers they serve.

The one-day meeting, held on May 4, 2026, brought together approximately a dozen ministers alongside representatives from the private sector, civil society, regional institutions, and youth leaders to advance the health, nutrition, and population agenda for the region.

At the heart of the event was the unveiling of “Fit to Prosper: Investing in Health for Jobs and Development in Western and Central Africa,” a country-driven roadmap built on three strategic priorities: Frontlines First, which targets stronger primary healthcare delivery; Fixing Finance, which focuses on securing sustainable investment; and Future Fit, aimed at building long-term health system resilience.

Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to implementing the strategy, framing health investment in explicitly economic terms. “By investing in health, we are investing in jobs, in stability, and in the future of Western and Central Africa. Ghana stands ready and committed to the successful implementation of this Regional Strategy,” he said.

The strategy is aligned with the WBG’s regional ambition to support countries in reaching 200 million people with quality, affordable health services by 2030, contributing to a global goal of 1.5 billion people. It also advances the Africa Initiative for Medical Access and Manufacturing (AIM2030), which promotes private sector participation and local production of essential health commodities.

World Bank Group Vice President for the People Vice Presidency Mamta Murthi noted that between now and 2050, approximately 200 million children are expected to be born in the region, representing almost one in every five young people on the planet, making robust health system investment an economic as well as a developmental imperative.

A key policy instrument endorsed at the meeting is the National Health Compact model, described as a high-level agreement through which individual countries outline national commitments to expand affordable, quality healthcare. The compacts are designed to align Ministries of Health and Finance, development partners, and all domestic resources around a single country-led plan, one budget, and one reporting system.

In a joint statement endorsed by ministers and heads of delegation, participants stressed that investing in health today is the foundation for the next generation being fit not only to survive but to prosper. They called on governments to optimise existing resources while mobilising additional domestic financing to sustain long-term development gains.

The strategy aligns with Ghana’s own health agenda, including the government’s Free Primary Health Care programme and the GH¢11 billion allocation to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the 2026 budget, which Chief of Staff Debrah cited as evidence of the government’s commitment to sustainable health financing.

The meeting was attended by development partners including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Bouabid, accompanied by Group Deputy Managing Director Othmane Alaoui, led a series of high-level meetings focused on regulatory alignment, SME financing, and corporate client strategy. The visit coincided with a period of active reform within Ghana’s banking and financial sector.

A central engagement of the visit was a courtesy call on BoG Governor Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama and his team, including Dr Ismail Adams, Head of Banking Supervision. Discussions covered regulatory developments, the Group’s strategic vision for Bank of Africa Ghana, and its continued commitment to supporting the stability and growth of the banking sector.

Bouabid also met with veteran Ghanaian business leader and member of the Presidential Committee on the Economy, Sir Sam Jonah, who provided perspectives on the country’s macroeconomic outlook.

During meetings with existing and prospective clients, Bouabid reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to tailored financial solutions for large corporates, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and wealth management clients. The business delegation was led by Bank of Africa Ghana Managing Director Abderrahmane Belbachir, and included Regional Director for East Africa and Ghana Kobby Andah, Executive Director for Business Development William Boateng, and Divisional Head for Business Development Theodora Egyirba Korsah.

Speaking at a cocktail reception held in his honour, Bouabid placed SME support at the centre of the Group’s Ghana strategy. “SMEs represent the future of the country and are key to addressing unemployment challenges. Bank of Africa will continue to support SMEs in scaling up their businesses, contributing to local production and reducing reliance on imports of essential goods,” he said.

Belbachir reinforced the local commitment, saying the Ghana subsidiary would diversify its investment portfolio while expanding support for businesses across key sectors of the economy. “Our focus is to build long-term partnerships with our clients and provide tailored solutions that respond to their evolving needs,” he said.

Bank of Africa Group is present in 19 countries, including eight in West Africa where Ghana is among its markets, with its majority shareholder being Bank of Africa BMCE, the third largest bank in Morocco. Bank of Africa Ghana currently operates a branch network of 23 locations across six regions, with additional business centres in Accra and Tema.

KPMG, which took over as the BoG’s external auditor for the 2025 accounts, issued an unmodified audit opinion on the financial statements, approved by the BoG Board on April 29, 2026 and signed off on April 30. While the auditors confirmed the accounts were fairly presented in all material respects, they identified impairment on investment securities as a critical audit matter, noting that the Bank’s investments measured at amortised cost exceeded GH¢116 billion, with an expected credit loss allowance estimated at approximately GH¢17.26 billion.

KPMG recommended that the BoG clearly articulate the basis on which its accounts are prepared, particularly given that the law governing the Bank permits the use of accounting practices that differ from international standards. Clearer disclosures, the auditors said, would help stakeholders better understand the Bank’s true financial position and reduce the risk of misinterpretation.

On credit risk, the auditors called for greater caution in evaluating the likelihood of repayment on investments and loans, and emphasised the need for regular reviews of key estimates and assumptions to ensure that potential losses are identified and accounted for early.

The BoG recorded a negative equity of GH¢93.82 billion as at December 31, 2025, compared with GH¢58.62 billion in 2024, stemming mainly from the restructuring of domestic government securities under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which significantly impaired the value of the central bank’s securities portfolio.

While acknowledging that the BoG continues to operate despite this negative equity position, KPMG advised management to maintain transparency about the situation and to consistently assess the Bank’s ability to operate sustainably over the medium to long term.

On recapitalisation, the auditors stressed the importance of both the BoG and the government strictly honouring the agreed roadmap for restoring the Bank’s capital base. A Memorandum of Understanding signed on January 6, 2025 between the Ministry of Finance and the Bank outlines a phased recapitalisation programme spanning 2026 to 2032, under which the government will transfer financial instruments and cash to rebuild the Bank’s equity. The report projected that a return to positive net equity could be achieved by 2032.

KPMG also recommended stronger risk oversight mechanisms, including closer monitoring of market developments, liquidity levels, and foreign exchange exposures, supported by robust internal audit and risk management systems with active board-level supervision.

The auditors further urged the BoG to provide comprehensive disclosures on contingent liabilities, including ongoing litigation, guarantees, and other financial obligations. Contingent liabilities relating to pending legal suits against the Bank rose from GH¢107.65 million at the end of 2024 to GH¢477.96 million at December 31, 2025, an increase of more than 340 percent in a single year.

The BoG has maintained that despite the financial losses, it remains policy solvent and capable of executing its monetary policy mandate without direct government support, pointing to a sharp improvement in its policy solvency position from GH¢793.54 million in 2024 to GH¢5.50 billion in 2025.

The agreement, signed on May 5, 2026, by Energy and Green Transition Minister John Jinapor and Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, advances the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) Non-Associated Gas (NAG) Upgrade Project from planning into full commercial execution. It follows a Memorandum of Intent signed in September 2025 during Africa Oil Week in Accra, in which the parties committed to deepening collaboration on strategic energy investments.

Operational since August 2018, the OCTP project has become a cornerstone of Ghana’s domestic gas supply, currently providing approximately 70 percent of the country’s total gas consumption, primarily for electricity generation.

The planned expansion will be driven by the development of the Gye Nyame field, installation of a booster compressor, and integration of a new non-associated gas system on the project’s floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, the John Agyekum Kufuor. Gas from the facility is transported via subsea pipeline to onshore receiving facilities at Sanzule before being injected into the Western Corridor Gas Pipeline for distribution to thermal power plants and industrial customers.

Minister Jinapor described the project as central to national energy strategy. “The OCTP project remains a cornerstone of Ghana’s energy mix, supplying a substantial share of the country’s gas for power generation. This planned upgrade will enhance our energy security, reduce reliance on imported fuels, and support growing demand from industry and households,” he said.

The term sheet sets out the key commercial principles guiding the development of new gas infrastructure under the NAG Upgrade Project, marking a fresh phase in Ghana’s upstream energy push.

The agreement is also seen as a vote of confidence in Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector at a time when global energy investors are exercising greater selectivity in capital deployment. Jinapor said the signing “sends a strong signal that Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector remains open, stable, and ready for investment,” adding that it reflects the government’s commitment to a predictable and competitive environment for partners.

The OCTP project is operated by Eni Ghana with a 44.4 percent stake, in partnership with Vitol Upstream Ghana (35.6 percent) and GNPC (20 percent). Eni has been active in Ghana since 2009.

With gas playing an increasingly critical role in reducing dependence on oil-based power generation, analysts say the expanded supply could lower electricity generation costs, ease pressure on foreign exchange, and improve grid stability as Ghana works to meet rising energy demand.

The meeting, co-chaired by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, brought together the leadership of large-scale mining firms, Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, and officials from the Minerals Commission.

Dr Forson used the engagement to reinforce the government’s commitment to a consultative approach, stressing that GANRAP is not a hostile measure directed at industry. “This is a partnership. It is not anti-industry. It is pro-country,” he said, describing the discussions as constructive and reform-focused.

At the core of GANRAP is a weekly gold purchase target of approximately 3.02 tonnes. Of this, at least 2.45 tonnes will be procured from the artisanal and small-scale mining sector by GoldBod, while an additional minimum of 0.57 tonnes will be sourced through the state’s pre-emption rights on large-scale mining output, with transactions conducted in cedis at the prevailing interbank rate.

Ghana currently holds foreign reserves equivalent to 5.7 months of import cover. The policy sets targets of 8.6 months by end-2026, 11.8 months by end-2027, and 15 months by end-2028, requiring net annual additions of approximately US$9.5 billion to gross reserves.

The engagement with large-scale miners is therefore a pivotal operational step, as their gold output forms a mandatory component of the accumulation framework under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).

The Ministry of Finance has made the economic case for the gold-led approach explicit, noting that in 2025 alone, GoldBod generated approximately US$10 billion in foreign exchange at an operational cost of just US$214 million, compared to billions spent in interest payments on Eurobonds and currency swaps used for reserve-building between 2017 and 2024.

Dr Forson confirmed that under GANRAP, the government is undertaking targeted reforms to improve gold acquisition processes while strengthening regulatory oversight and compliance throughout the mining value chain. “Our focus is strengthening reserves and supporting a more stable cedi,” he said.

Gold acquired under the policy will be refined, added to Ghana’s physical reserves, and may only be sold with prior approval of Cabinet and Parliament.

The policy has also drawn scrutiny from the Minority in Parliament, with some lawmakers questioning whether GANRAP represents a genuine policy departure or a continuation of earlier reserve-building programs under a different name.

In a statement issued on May 4, 2026, the central bank said the April 22 meeting at Bank Square in Accra between BoG Governor Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama and a group of Ghanaian X content creators was held strictly in response to concerns over delayed access to earnings from the social media platform.

“The Bank of Ghana met with a group of X platform content creators on 22 April 2026, to address challenges with delayed receipt of funds. We state categorically that this group has no political affiliation. They engaged the Bank solely as concerned content creators seeking a practical resolution to a legitimate issue,” the statement said.

The frustration among creators had been building since early April 2026, when payout cycles from X failed to reflect in their accounts. The delays were linked to payment processor Stripe, which reportedly returned payouts and paused transactions due to complications with a regional banking partner, with some creators receiving automated emails confirming that payments had been initiated but subsequently returned by local banks.

The BoG had issued its first statement on April 20, 2026, clarifying the regulatory classification of such income before Governor Asiama held the in-person engagement two days later. At that meeting, Dr Asiama drew a direct comparison between the digital earnings of content creators and Ghana’s flagship commodity export, assuring the group: “We place a premium on what you do, just like the export of cocoa.”

The central bank confirmed that payouts received by Ghanaian content creators from digital platforms are classified as service export proceeds and are permitted under existing foreign exchange regulations. Creators may receive these earnings through Foreign Exchange Accounts (FEAs) held with banks in Ghana or directly into Ghana cedi accounts, provided all transactions comply with applicable regulatory requirements.

The BoG added that it is implementing measures to significantly reduce the turnaround time for receiving funds, and is working with all relevant parties to remove bottlenecks and ensure a seamless process for legitimate beneficiaries.

Governor Asiama also encouraged the content creators to organise into a formal association to enable concerns to be channelled to the Bank more efficiently for early resolution, saying: “We are interested in what you are doing and will do everything to facilitate your work.”

The central bank reaffirmed its commitment to creating an enabling financial environment that supports digital earnings, innovation, and Ghanaians participating in the global economy, as the content creation sector continues to grow as a source of income for young people across the country.

Fraser acknowledged in an interview that the bulk of his time in Ghana has not been spent at the mine site but in intensive engagements with policymakers. “A lot of the time that I’m spending in Ghana has been to try and lobby the Minister, the Minerals Commission,” he said. “We’re meeting this week with the Minister of Finance and all of those politicians who actually have a role to play in the decision about the role that Gold Fields has in the future.”

Gold Fields submitted a comprehensive application for the renewal of the Tarkwa mining leases in November 2025, with the lease due to expire in April 2027. The company has commenced discussions with the government of Ghana on the terms of the renewal, with Ghana’s proposed mining policy reforms aimed at increasing local participation and state revenues expected to shape the outcome.

The stakes could not be higher for the Johannesburg-listed miner. Tarkwa is expected to contribute around 20 percent of Gold Fields’ global production from 2026, making it the company’s single largest producing asset worldwide. Fraser has been unequivocal about the company’s intentions. “We are not going to give up in any way on Tarkwa,” he said.

Tarkwa’s declared mineral reserves jumped 70 percent to 7.4 million ounces of gold following a revised life-of-mine plan, a move Fraser described as a deliberate signal to government of the long-term value at stake. The revised plan extends the mine’s operational life to over 20 years.

Sustaining the mine for another two decades, Fraser disclosed, will require massive reinvestment, expansion of the mining fleet and heavy equipment, movement of significantly larger volumes of material, and an increased workforce, creating a potential surge in jobs and contracts if the extension is secured.

The renewal is complicated by a rapidly shifting policy environment. Ghana has already ruled that the flat five percent royalty rate imposed on gold miners will be replaced by a sliding scale of five to 12 percent based on the prevailing gold price, imposing a higher financial burden on miners. Parliament is also considering broader revisions to the Mining Act covering tenure and ownership.

Fraser acknowledged that Gold Fields is effectively acting as a test case, describing the company as “probably one of the first ones to go through a formal lease renewal process.” He noted that while discussions have been “very constructive and very frequent,” the outcome carries real risk given the different views circulating within the country.

Gold Fields formally relinquished the Damang Mine on April 18, 2026, following a 12-month lease extension granted to facilitate an orderly handover to the government. The exit has left Tarkwa as the company’s sole operation in Ghana, sharpening the significance of the ongoing renewal talks.

Fraser also emphasised that Gold Fields’ interest in Tarkwa goes beyond financial returns, stressing the company’s commitment to delivering meaningful benefits for host communities as a central part of its strategy in Ghana.

Dr Daniel Anim-Prempeh, Chief Economist at the Policy Initiative for Economic Development (PIED), cautioned that the widely held assumption that more hours automatically translate into higher productivity is fundamentally mistaken, arguing that the real drivers of economic growth are efficiency, automation, and a skilled workforce.

“Longer hours do not necessarily mean higher productivity,” he said. “If firms are not supported with automation and a skilled workforce, what you end up with is higher operational costs and diminishing returns.”

President John Dramani Mahama has described the 24-Hour Economy Authority, which was signed into law in February 2026, as the anchor of a productivity revolution in Ghana’s manufacturing and industrial sectors, arguing that factories operating three shifts a day would maximise the use of capital, infrastructure, and labour while reducing unit production costs. Dr Anim-Prempeh broadly supports the goal of expanding production but insists the gains will only materialise if structural reforms accompany the policy.

He argued that businesses operating longer hours would face additional expenses including higher energy consumption, increased wage bills, and maintenance costs. Without a corresponding rise in output per worker, he warned, these costs would erode profit margins and weaken competitiveness. The concern is particularly acute given Ghana’s energy cost environment, where many firms already operate under financial strain from electricity pricing.

A central focus of Dr Anim-Prempeh’s critique is automation. Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of Ghana’s economy, still rely heavily on manual processes, limiting their ability to scale efficiently. He argued that without targeted state support for technology adoption, a push for longer operating hours could disproportionately burden smaller firms, widening the divide between large companies and the SME sector.

He also stressed that workforce skills upgrading must go hand in hand with technology deployment. A workforce equipped with technical, digital, and problem-solving capabilities, he said, is essential for translating investment in new systems into real efficiency gains, whether in manufacturing, agriculture, or services.

On competitiveness, Dr Anim-Prempeh noted that countries which have successfully raised productivity levels did so by investing in innovation, education, and infrastructure rather than extending working hours. He called for a coordinated national strategy aligning education, industrial policy, and digital transformation to ensure that any gains are durable.

“Competitiveness is built on efficiency, not exhaustion,” he said. “If we want to grow the economy in a meaningful way, we must focus on how to produce more value within the same time, not just extend the time itself.”

He recommended that policy interventions prioritise incentives for technology adoption, support for research and development, and stronger linkages between industry and training institutions as the more sustainable route to expanding Ghana’s productive capacity.

Emmanuel Arthur, Senior Manager for Corporate Affairs at NAFCO, disclosed on Tuesday during an interview on Accra-based Citi FM that the agency has so far operated on GH¢100 million released by the government in 2025, with the additional budgetary allocation still pending disbursement from the Ministry of Finance.

Arthur said purchases are still ongoing using the 2025 funds and that the allocation had not been exhausted. “The buying is still ongoing. We are left with a little, but we are still buying. As we speak, we have people on the ground purchasing,” he said.

The funding gap is significant. NAFCO has estimated that it requires at least GH¢770 million to absorb the full volume of surplus produce sitting with farmers, far exceeding the combined GH¢300 million in allocations announced so far.

The February 2026 Food Security Monitor report by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) flagged that all functional NAFCO warehouses and private aggregator facilities are now full, leaving no fallback storage option for surplus grain yet to be purchased. The report also warned that prolonged storage is degrading rice quality, increasing breakage during milling and reducing its marketability.

The crisis has sharpened pressure on the government to act. The Association of Ghana Rice Producers and Processors has warned that over one million farmers are overwhelmed by losses, with the situation posing a serious threat to the sustainability of the local rice industry and raising the risk of an unemployment crisis in the sector.

Arthur rejected allegations from the producers’ association that NAFCO has defied a presidential directive to prioritise locally produced rice. He stated that all grain purchased by the company has come from Ghanaian farmers, working through licensed buying companies that procure on NAFCO’s behalf and deliver to warehouses in Buipe, parts of the Bono and Ashanti regions, Jute in the Volta Region, and Tamale.

President John Dramani Mahama on March 5, 2026, directed that rice procurement for schools be centralised under NAFCO, with priority given to locally produced rice for the School Feeding Programme and Free Senior High School. Arthur clarified that the GH¢100 million allocation is for the national food reserve, which is separate from the Free SHS supply chain, though both programmes require the use of local rice.

Arthur added that the World Food Programme is supporting NAFCO to rehabilitate storage facilities ahead of further purchases.

The situation has exposed a tension between stated government policy and the pace of fund disbursements, with farmers warning that continued delays could force production cuts in the next farming season, potentially turning the current surplus into a future shortage.

The visit followed recent bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Cameroon, with both sides expressing a desire to deepen ties, particularly in agribusiness and investment.

Ofosu-Adjare held talks with Karim Zidane, Morocco’s minister of investments, convergence and public policy evaluation, with discussions centering on opportunities in the automobile and agro-processing sectors. The minister highlighted Ghana’s flagship 24-hour economy programme and recent revisions to investment legislation under the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) as evidence of the country’s improving environment for foreign capital. She also called for the reduction of non-tariff barriers to facilitate smoother trade flows and commended Morocco’s role in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In a separate meeting in Rabat, Ofosu-Adjare engaged Omar Hejira, Morocco’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade. Hejira said the talks focused on increasing trade volumes and exploring economic and industrial synergies between the two countries.

A focal point of the conversations was AfCFTA, seen by both sides as a vital framework for stimulating intra-African trade and creating broader economic collaboration across the continent.

Moroccan officials pointed to growing bilateral engagement since King Mohammed VI’s February 2017 visit to Accra as a foundation for current cooperation. During that three-day working visit, the leaders signed 27 bilateral agreements spanning agriculture, trade and industry, energy, foreign affairs and education, alongside cooperation agreements between 20 private sector organisations. Moroccan officials also raised concerns about a trade imbalance, urging Ghana to increase export volumes to Morocco, and proposed the organisation of a joint business and investment forum in Accra.

Both sides agreed to fast-track the forum to boost private sector collaboration, with Morocco’s Secretary of State also outlining the country’s growth in renewable energy, port infrastructure, finance and pharmaceuticals as areas ripe for partnership.

Ofosu-Adjare’s working visit continues through May 6 and includes further meetings with government officials and private sector representatives. She is accompanied by senior officials from the trade ministry and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

The engagement forms part of Ghana’s wider effort to use trade diplomacy as a vehicle for industrial expansion and stronger positioning within regional and continental markets under AfCFTA.

Building and construction engineer Ing. Abdulai Mahama, speaking to The High Street Journal, argued that broken-down and abandoned vehicles remain a major but underaddressed driver of congestion on the corridor, which links Ghana’s two largest economic cities and carries some of the country’s heaviest freight and passenger traffic.

The highway became a national flashpoint after motorists spent between 12 and 24 hours stranded in gridlock on sections of the corridor over the New Year period, prompting President John Dramani Mahama to defend plans for a new expressway as an urgent national necessity. A fresh wave of severe congestion driven by stationary cargo trucks struck the Nkawkaw-Jejeti stretch on May 1, 2026, marking the third serious episode along the corridor in two weeks.

Against that backdrop, Ing. Mahama is pressing for a reset on towing policy. The government previously cancelled the mandatory towing levy that had been scheduled for implementation on July 1, 2017, following the passage of Legislative Instrument 2180 under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, which imposed a mandatory fee on vehicle owners for the removal of broken-down vehicles from Ghana’s roads. The cancellation followed extensive stakeholder consultations and a public outcry over the financial burden the levy would impose.

Ing. Mahama argues the problem the policy was designed to solve has not only persisted but intensified. He believes the current government has an opportunity to reintroduce the concept with a sharply improved communication strategy, integrating the levy transparently into existing vehicle ownership fees such as insurance and roadworthiness charges rather than presenting it as a new standalone imposition.

“I have spoken countless times on that particular item, where initially, it was the government that wanted to introduce a towing policy. But I think they couldn’t communicate it well. I don’t think it stops this current government from enhancing education so that we understand that the reason why we have to pay a certain quota when we are going to do our roadworthy, when we are going to insure our vehicles, and all that,” he said.

Beyond the levy question, Ing. Mahama stressed the operational case for physically stationing towing trucks at known accident-prone and high-traffic sections of the highway. Without a guaranteed rapid-clearance system for disabled vehicles, he warned, congestion will remain a self-perpetuating problem regardless of what new infrastructure is built.

Road safety advocates have previously estimated that disabled vehicles on major highways account for approximately 11 percent of road crashes, with organisations calling for stronger public education on any reintroduced levy to avoid the resistance that derailed the earlier attempt.

The calls reflect a broader frustration with reactive traffic management on a corridor that the government has itself identified as one of Ghana’s most critical infrastructure priorities.

Speaking at a stakeholder dialogue in Accra, Acquaye argued that Ghana’s poultry value chain represents one of the most immediate platforms for import substitution and private sector-led growth, provided long-standing structural barriers are removed.

Ghana currently imports more than 90 percent of its poultry meat, a collapse driven by poor policy coordination, unregulated imports, escalating feed costs, and a breakdown in value chain linkages. The scale of the reversal is stark. The country produced about 60,000 tonnes of chicken meat in 2023, covering only 18 percent of total consumption estimated at 330,000 tonnes, with industry players citing high feed costs, limited availability of day-old chicks, and insufficient infrastructure as the core constraints.

For Acquaye, the gap is not merely agricultural but a significant economic leak. A product that can be produced domestically in under two months is instead being sourced from abroad, effectively exporting jobs, value, and industrial capacity along with the foreign exchange spent on imports.

A key pillar of the proposed master plan is repositioning poultry as a viable investment asset class. Acquaye argued that previous government interventions failed to attract adequate private capital because they lacked clear, bankable entry points. The master plan, he said, should enable investors to immediately identify specific opportunities across the entire value chain, from breeder farms and hatchery operations to feed mills, cold chain logistics, and processing facilities.

He also pointed to a persistent coordination failure in how the industry is financed. Funding production without corresponding capacity in processing, he noted, leads to underutilised assets and bottlenecks that ultimately discourage further investment. The master plan is expected to promote value chain financing models that align production, processing, and market access as an integrated system.

On competitiveness, Acquaye pointed out that many imported poultry products benefit from subsidies in their countries of origin, giving them an unfair price advantage. The Poultry Masterplan Stakeholders Dialogue, an initiative of the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Programme, is designed to produce a comprehensive, data-driven roadmap to validate baseline insights on the poultry value chain, identify key constraints affecting competitiveness, and define policy, infrastructure, and investment priorities.

The HAPPY Programme reported that between December 2023 and December 2025, a total of 4.6 million poultry birds were produced, generating $25.2 million in revenue and creating 8,000 youth jobs.

The master plan’s drafting process is scheduled for completion in 2026, following consultations and technical validation with industry stakeholders across the Northern, Middle Belt, and Southern regions.

Acquaye acknowledged that pilot results, while encouraging, fall well short of what is needed at scale. One processing facility with support from the Mastercard Foundation now handles over 200,000 birds per month, but national demand requires multiple large-scale processors working in parallel. Without significant capital inflows and coordinated expansion, Ghana will remain structurally dependent on imports.

He stressed that clear policy signals from government can be decisive. Investor confidence, he said, hinges on consistency and alignment between official priorities and the strategic plan. If executed well, the poultry sector could become a model for how Ghana uses coordinated policy and targeted investment to drive broader agro-industrial transformation.

The capacity-building activities are scheduled to run from May 4 to December 2026, with the federation outlining a four-phase framework culminating in a national flag football exhibition. The programme kicked off with GFAF certification activation, followed by international body certification, guided practicals with regional team formation and equipment distribution.

The programme will be led by Chadwick Louisville, Senior Coaching Advisor of GFAF and Head Football Coach of West Potomac High School in Virginia, in the United States.

The initiative builds on earlier groundwork. In May 2025, GFAF and GES held a 10-day National Coaching Clinic at the University of Ghana Rugby Stadium, bringing together 16 regional Physical Education coordinators from across the country for intensive training in flag football rules, skill development and game strategy.

GFAF Secretary-General Mohammed Osman Nkosi said the programme is designed to build capacity, systems and a talent pipeline ahead of the 2028 Olympics, where flag football will make its historic debut. The federation is currently led by National Football League (NFL) players Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Brian Asamoah II.

GES Director of Physical Education and Sports Michael Ntow Ayeh reaffirmed the service’s backing, stating that the joint effort is focused on equipping Physical Education teachers with the skills and modern teaching approaches needed to strengthen sports delivery in schools.

Flag football, a fast-paced, non-contact format of American football, will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, played across two 20-minute halves on a 70-yard field. The sport’s inclusion has driven a surge in grassroots investment by federations across Africa and beyond seeking to qualify for the competition.

The deployment, preceded by a pre-departure orientation held in Accra, marks the latest phase of a government-backed drive to channel Ghanaian youth into structured overseas employment as part of broader efforts to address persistent domestic unemployment.

YEA Chief Executive Officer Malik Basintale used the orientation to stress conduct and professional standards, urging participants to respect the operational rules of their host employers while pursuing personal and career growth. He added that the agency would maintain regular communication with beneficiaries throughout the contract period to ensure welfare and compliance with agreed terms.

The Labour Exchange Programme forms part of YEA’s expanding Work Abroad initiative, designed to create regulated international job opportunities for Ghanaian youth. The programme was formally repositioned and relaunched earlier in 2025, with the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment describing it as a legal pathway for workers in hospitality, transportation, agriculture, and construction to secure employment abroad, backed by formal agreements between Ghana and destination countries to protect the rights of Ghanaian workers.

KFC, Pizza Hut, and Hardee’s in the UAE are operated by Americana Restaurants, one of the largest restaurant operators in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a presence spanning more than 50 countries.

Officials have framed overseas placements as a tool for skills acquisition and remittance generation, though analysts note that the long-term value of such programmes depends on how effectively workers are protected abroad and reintegrated upon their return.

The engagement took place during a visit to Washington State that also included high-level discussions with Boeing on the revival of Ghana’s national carrier, forming part of what the Embassy of Ghana describes as a continuing drive to attract strategic investment from major American corporations. The Seattle visit, facilitated by the Ghanaian Association of Seattle and Environs (GHASEA), was described as the first by a Ghanaian ambassador to the city in nearly three decades.

During the Microsoft engagement, Ambassador Smith outlined opportunities for trade, investment, and partnership between Ghanaian institutions and the technology company, with discussions centred on cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital skills development. Both sides agreed to establish a joint working group to develop specific programmes focused on digital skills training, support for startups and enterprises, and the expansion of cloud-based infrastructure using Microsoft’s Azure platform.

The talks form part of a wider diplomatic strategy by Ghana’s Washington embassy to align the country’s economic priorities with global technology providers, with the ultimate aim of improving public service delivery, driving enterprise innovation, and creating jobs for Ghana’s growing youth population.

Speaking earlier at the Ghana@69 Dinner Gala in Seattle, Ambassador Smith struck an optimistic tone on Ghana’s investment prospects. “Ghana is ready for business with the Pacific Northwest,” he told an audience of business leaders and Ghanaian diaspora members. “My office is ready to facilitate businesses to go and establish in Ghana.” He framed Ghana as one of Africa’s most reform-driven economies, transitioning from commodity exports toward value addition and technology-driven growth.

Microsoft officials indicated a readiness to deepen engagement and connect technical teams to support implementation, signalling the potential for longer-term collaboration as Ghana works to scale its digital ecosystem. The outreach also complements broader government policy frameworks that have increasingly prioritised investment in digital infrastructure and workforce development as drivers of economic competitiveness.

The Seattle visit adds to a series of high-profile investment engagements by Ambassador Smith since assuming office in September 2025, which have also included an investor roundtable in California and the Greater Savannah Ghana Business Forum in Georgia.

Speaking during a recent webinar examining the Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mine, Simons argued that what Ghana has developed is a sophisticated capacity for articulating bold economic visions while consistently failing to translate them into the sequenced, disciplined policy steps needed to deliver real control over national assets.

“We are big on the big vision. We want local ownership of mines, but when it comes to the policy dynamics of how you actually attain it, which requires systematic and methodical planning, then we lose sight,” he said.

He framed the problem as what he calls a “Katanomics” approach to economic governance, characterised by aggregating inspiring goals while neglecting the disaggregated execution required to achieve them. The result, he argued, is a recurring gap between proclaimed ownership and actual control, where local names appear on licenses and company registrations while the real levers of decision-making and value capture remain in foreign hands.

The Bogoso-Prestea situation, he said, is a clear illustration. Heath Goldfields, a Ghanaian-owned company, took over the mine as part of the government’s indigenisation drive and poured first gold in February 2026 after a two-year shutdown. But the terms of the US$65 million prepayment and offtake agreement signed with Singapore-based commodities trader Trafigura on April 2, 2026, raise serious questions about the depth of that ownership. Under the deal, Heath Goldfields has granted Trafigura a first-ranking fixed and floating charge over virtually all its assets, including bank accounts, processing equipment, revenues, and the mining leases themselves, in exchange for financing repayable in 700,000 ounces of gold, worth approximately US$2.3 billion at current prices. The agreement also reportedly restricts Heath from developing the sulphide ore processing plant essential to the mine’s long-term productivity and limits additional borrowing.

“The way it’s been structured is such that it protects Trafigura in every scenario, and it suggests that they have little confidence in the Ghanaian jurisdiction, because of the demands they are making,” Simons said. “It’s as if they really expect the jurisdiction to mess up.”

For Simons, the stringency of those conditions does not merely reflect one company’s risk assessment. It signals a broader regulatory credibility problem. When a sophisticated global commodities trader demands that level of protection before committing capital, he argues, it implies that the state’s own vetting of Heath Goldfields’ technical and financial capacity was insufficient.

He said the same pattern is visible elsewhere. Disputes surrounding Adamus Resources Limited and the handling of Springfield Exploration and Production, he argued, reflect a consistent failure of sequencing, where assets are transferred or assigned without ensuring that receiving parties have the managerial, technical, and financial capacity to operate them independently. Each episode of abrupt policy action or inadequate due diligence, he said, adds to an accumulating perception that Ghana’s regulatory rules are fluid and long-term commercial agreements are uncertain.

“We always get trapped in this emotive language and inability to look carefully at detail,” he said. “We aggregate the vision, but we cannot disaggregate the execution pathway, the sequencing, the steps we have to take to achieve real local ownership. And that’s what has happened here.”

Simons stressed that the case for Ghana controlling its natural resources is strong and widely shared. But he warned that without credible policy architecture to back that ambition, the country risks repeating a damaging cycle: celebrating local ownership while the economic benefits flow elsewhere.

The controversy was triggered by remarks Gyamfi made at a ceremony marking the first sale of gold from the Damang Gold Mine, owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, to the Bank of Ghana through GoldBod. At the event, he argued that while large-scale miners produced nearly 100 metric tonnes of gold in 2025, only about 10 metric tonnes were sold locally, and that combining bullion sales to the central bank with repatriated foreign exchange still yielded less than 20 percent of total sector earnings.

The Chamber said in a statement issued on May 2, 2026, that this calculation is based exclusively on direct transactions with the Bank of Ghana and omits significant inflows channelled through commercial banks, which it described as a recognised and substantial repatriation pathway.

According to the Chamber, large-scale mining companies return export proceeds through two established channels: direct sales of foreign exchange and bullion gold to the Bank of Ghana, and transfers through licensed commercial banks operating in Ghana. Funds entering through commercial banks are used to meet domestic obligations including royalty payments to government, utility bills invoiced in dollars and paid to local institutions, fuel procurement, salaries, payments to local contractors, and corporate social investment in mining communities. A portion of those dollar inflows is converted into cedis, supporting liquidity in the domestic foreign exchange market.

“Based on industry data, approximately 70 percent of mineral export proceeds from the Chamber’s producing members is returned to Ghana through a combination of the central bank and commercial banking channels,” the Chamber stated. This figure is consistent with data from its most recent annual report, which showed that producing member companies repatriated 70.8 percent of mineral earnings in 2024, returning approximately US$4.99 billion to the country, of which US$3.3 billion passed through commercial banks.

The Chamber also stressed the methodological distinction between gross repatriation, total inflows into the country, and net retention after external obligations are settled, arguing that gross repatriation, consistent with balance-of-payments principles, is the appropriate standard and that the 20 percent figure conflates these separate concepts.

It further noted that until recently, the Bank of Ghana maintained a policy requiring mining companies to offer it a right of first refusal on foreign exchange destined for commercial banks, underscoring the regulatory recognition of that channel. On that basis, the Chamber said the data required to present a complete picture of mining sector forex flows already exist within the central bank and called on it to publish them to enable accurate public discourse.

“Accurate measurement of forex flows is essential for sound policymaking, macroeconomic management, and sustaining confidence in Ghana’s mining sector,” the Chamber said.

Despite the dispute, the Chamber said it supports GoldBod’s mandate to strengthen Ghana’s mineral export revenue framework, particularly in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.

The executive session, titled “AI-Ready Infrastructure: Powering the Future of Enterprise Innovation,” is being convened by Africa Hyperscalers in partnership with Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, and is taking place at the Lancaster Hotel. It brings together senior stakeholders from across Ghana’s digital ecosystem for what organisers describe as a structured, off-the-record engagement.

Confirmed speakers include Solomon Richardson, Director of Technical Services at the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), representing Director General Dr. Mark-Oliver Kevor; Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director for Africa at Vertiv; Joseph Koranteng, Managing Director of Digital Realty Ghana; Emmanuel Kwarteng, Country Manager at Equinix Ghana; Olufemi Muraino, Regional Director for Atlantic and West Africa at Inlaks Limited; Harriet Yartey, Managing Director for Ghana at CWG Plc; Maxwell Ababio, Deputy Director and Head of Technology and Ethics at the Data Protection Commission; and Temitope Osunrinde, Director at Africa Hyperscalers.

The session comes at a critical juncture. Ghana’s digital progress over the past decade has been anchored in connectivity, broadband expansion, rising mobile penetration, and the rapid growth of digital financial services. But artificial intelligence (AI) demands a different kind of infrastructure, one defined by compute density, continuous power supply, low-latency interconnection, and the ability to host data workloads locally.

That layer is still underdeveloped. While Ghana has attracted growing interest from data centre operators, including PAIX Data Centres, Equinix through its MainOne acquisition, and Digital Realty, these investments remain early relative to the demands of AI-era workloads. Power reliability remains uneven, interconnection ecosystems are still maturing, and enterprise workloads are frequently routed to external servers even where local capacity exists.

Regulatory pressure is increasing in parallel. The Bank of Ghana’s push for localisation of critical financial workloads reflects a broader government position that digital infrastructure is no longer a neutral utility but a sovereign asset. Yet policy ambition has not yet been matched by execution frameworks capable of closing the infrastructure gap at the pace AI adoption requires.

The session reflects a regional pattern. Across Africa, governments are advancing data sovereignty agendas and tightening requirements around local hosting, while infrastructure markets remain fragmented and cross-sector coordination is limited. The result, as participants are expected to discuss, is a widening gap between rising demand and available capacity.

Organisers say the conversation is moving beyond adoption toward execution, with discussions expected to cover energy planning, cloud policy, connectivity investment, regulatory frameworks, and capital deployment. The regional dimension will also feature, given that hyperscale platforms and distributed AI workloads respond to scale and reliability across borders rather than national boundaries alone.

Ghana’s ability to position itself as a host of compute capacity within West Africa, rather than a consumer of externally hosted services, will depend significantly on the alignment achieved across these layers.