The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, in collaboration with the United Nations Trade and Development, has hosted a national validation workshop to finalise Ghana’s first National E-Commerce Strategy.

The workshop marks a major milestone in the country’s efforts to harness digital trade for inclusive economic growth and transformation.

The workshop brought together senior government officials, representatives from the private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners to review and endorse the draft strategy.

The document outlines strategic goals and actions designed to overcome structural and trade-related barriers, empower micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), foster decent job creation, enhance social inclusion, and support economic diversification through e-commerce.

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The initiative follows the eTrade Readiness Assessment (eT Ready) conducted by UNCTAD in response to a 2023 request by MoTAI.

Published in November 2023, the assessment identified policy gaps and development opportunities in Ghana’s e-commerce ecosystem.

Based on these findings, MoTAI formally requested UNCTAD’s assistance in March 2024 to develop a comprehensive national strategy.

The event marked a significant milestone in both parties’ collective efforts to harness the power of digital trade. It marks not only the culmination of months of consultations, research, and inter-agency dialogue, but more importantly, it signalled the parties’ collective readiness to embrace the future of trade.

“This strategy is ambitious yet practical while promoting trust in the digital space, improving logistics and payment systems, supporting MSMEs to thrive online, and ensuring inclusive access for women and rural communities. It is the beginning of a coordinated national effort to make e-commerce work for all Ghanaians,” Mr Sampson Ahi, the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said.

As part of the many efforts, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, in collaboration with all partners, is also establishing an E-commerce and Digital Trade National Steering Committee, comprising members from the public and private sectors, academia and civil society organisations.

This Committee will guide, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the E-commerce strategy and ensure policy coherence across sectors.

UNCTAD’s support is provided within the framework of a joint programme aimed at leveraging digital ecosystems for increased MSME productivity, jointly implemented with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO).

The programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund Digital Transformation Round (2023) and focuses on building national capacity for planning and implementing inclusive e-commerce reforms.

Consultations leading up to the draft strategy included national dialogues held in June 2024, followed by stakeholder engagements through October and November 2024.

Beyond shaping the strategy’s content, this participatory process has fostered stronger inter-ministerial coordination and enriched public-private dialogue in Ghana’s digital economy space.

“Ghana’s commitment to shaping a forward-looking e-commerce strategy is a testament to the country’s vision for inclusive and sustainable digital transformation,” Torbjörn Fredriksson, Head of the E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch at UNCTAD, said.

The validation of the National E-Commerce Strategy represents a pivotal step in positioning the country to capitalise on opportunities within the global digital economy.