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Use Ghana’s Mobile Payment Platform as Benchmark for Digital Transformation- Dr Zuma urges African countries
The Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has called on African nations to use Ghana’s mobile payment platform as a model for enhancing digital transactions across the continent.
Speaking on the final day of the Africa Prosperity Dialogue (APD) in Accra on Saturday, February 1, 2025, Dr. Zuma emphasised the need for a unified mobile interoperability system to overcome the fragmentation hindering the development of a seamless digital ecosystem in Africa.
Dr. Zuma, who addressed delegates from various African countries, urged nations to focus on developing digital communication and financial platforms over the next five years.
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She highlighted the importance of investments in broadband infrastructure, expanding e-commerce, and enhancing mobile payment systems to unlock the full potential of digital trade in Africa.
The APD, which aimed to facilitate Africa’s transition from a fragmented to a more integrated continent, discussed key issues such as infrastructure deficits and the need for coordinated efforts among governments, investors, and development partners.
Dr. Zuma further emphasised the challenges posed by Africa’s poor infrastructure, particularly in logistics and transportation.
She pointed out that inadequate roads, inefficient ports, outdated railways, and limited airline systems have inflated intra-African trade costs by as much as 80%.
She called for the full implementation of a single African transport market and deregulation of air services to liberalise intra-African air transport.
Touching on the maritime sector, Dr. Zuma underscored the potential of Africa’s maritime highways, urging the continent to aggressively implement the African Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050 and prioritise the local manufacturing of trains alongside the development of rail networks.
In addressing Africa’s energy challenges, Dr. Zuma noted that over 30 African countries regularly face power outages.
She echoed calls for a collective regional energy policy and interconnected power plants to ensure a reliable, affordable electricity supply. “It is time for Africa to stop talking, come together, and invest to solve its power problem,” she stressed.
The APD continues to foster dialogue and collaboration to address the continent’s key development challenges, with a vision of an integrated and prosperous Africa.
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