Ghana ICT

With one of the region’s highest levels of mobile data penetration and a thriving start-up scene, Ghana’s ICT sector is one of the most active parts of the economy. The government sees ICT development as central to meeting the country’s goal of entrenching and developing its middle-income status. Just as better transport infrastructure is seen...

As an increasing number of businesses and government services migrate online, cybersecurity has become a pressing issue. According to the Cybercrime Unit of Ghana’s Criminal Investigations Department, in the first seven months of 2018 Ghana lost approximately $97m to cybercrime, up from $69m in 2017 and $26m in 2016. President Nana Akufo-Addo...

In line with global trends, Ghana’s telecoms operators are looking to data to drive higher average revenue per user, in response to voice revenues either growing slowly or plateauing completely. “Data is becoming an increasingly valuable resource in the Ghanaian techspace,” Mark Addo, CEO of West Blue Consulting, told OBG. “In addition,...

Blockchain – the distributed-ledger technology that underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin – appears set to transform a wide variety of industries and perhaps fundamentally change the way business is conducted around the globe. While the technology is still taking off and its potential is not fully known, many emerging markets are hoping...

Although it does not have the market size and reputation of some of its regional peers, Ghana offers a stable environment for innovation and the development of IT products and applications in Africa, thanks in part to a welcoming regulatory framework and rapid uptake of data services.

While Ghana fares relatively well in terms of basic telecoms indicators, private operators and public bodies are working to improve and expand coverage. However, the challenges involved in rolling out infrastructure for mobile networks are considerable, and range from difficulties in obtaining planning rights to high maintenance costs.