Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia turned the spotlight on Ghana’s digital revolution at this year’s Cambridge Africa Business Conference, presenting the West African nation’s digital transformation as a scalable blueprint for the rest of the continent.
“When I assumed office as Vice President, over 60% of Ghanaians were unbanked. Government services were slow, riddled with inefficiencies, and public trust was low,” Bawumia recalled. “Today, through digital innovation, we have turned these weaknesses into strengths.”
At the centre of this shift is the GhanaCard—a national biometric ID that now serves multiple functions, including tax identification, social security, health insurance, and driver licensing. By integrating it with mobile money platforms, Ghana has achieved full mobile money interoperability, allowing seamless transactions across banks and telcos. As a result, financial inclusion now reaches over 90% of the adult population.
Ghana has also digitized numerous public services—from the Passport Office to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority—allowing citizens to apply, pay, and receive services from their phones. The launch of the Citizens App consolidates these services into a single platform, enhancing access and reducing corruption.
Health systems were not left out. The digitization of patient records and hospital networks has eliminated delays, improved service delivery, and allowed real-time access to medical history across the country. Meanwhile, medical drone deliveries—powered by a partnership with Zipline—are reaching remote communities with life-saving supplies.
“We built all this using Ghanaian developers and local talent,” Bawumia emphasized. “Africa doesn’t lack ideas; it needs ecosystems that scale them. Ghana is proof that we can build such systems.”
