Ghana’s electricity and water sectors are set for a major digital transformation following the start of work on a new Regulatory Information Database Management System (RIDBMS) Phase II project aimed at improving regulation, service delivery and consumer protection.

The project, being implemented by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission, is expected to modernise the way utility data is collected, monitored and managed, while helping regulators respond more quickly to service failures and customer complaints.

It is being funded by the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund through the African Development Bank (AfDB).

For years, Ghana’s utility regulators have relied heavily on manual systems to collect and verify data from electricity and water service providers. That process has often slowed decision-making, created inconsistencies in reporting, and reduced the ability of regulators to respond quickly to operational problems and consumer concerns.

The new RIDBMS Phase II project is intended to change that by introducing an integrated digital platform that will support real-time data exchange between regulators, utility companies, consumers, and other stakeholders.

Once operational, the platform will bring regulatory data into a single digital system, allowing authorities to track utility performance more effectively, carry out digital inspections, analyse service quality, automate regulatory processes and improve response times to customer complaints.

The project is expected to mark a significant shift towards evidence-based regulation, where decisions are guided by accurate, timely, and verifiable data rather than fragmented paper records and manual reporting systems.

Beyond improving the work of regulators, the platform is also expected to have direct benefits for consumers.

Electricity and water users across the country are expected to see improved transparency in utility regulation, quicker resolution of complaints, stronger monitoring of service reliability, and greater accountability from service providers.

One of the major features of the new system is a 24-hour AI-powered customer support chatbot, which will give consumers round-the-clock access to regulatory information, complaint management services and other support.

The project will also introduce digital inspection tools for field officers, enabling them to capture, validate, and submit inspection data electronically using rugged mobile devices.

This is expected to reduce paperwork significantly while improving the speed, accuracy, and reliability of regulatory inspections.

A key part of the project is the integration of the digital systems of the PURC, the Energy Commission, and regulated utility providers into a single platform.

This is expected to create one of the most comprehensive digital regulatory systems in Ghana’s public sector.

The platform has been designed to support a wide range of regulatory functions, including performance monitoring, quality-of-service assessments, inspection management, tariff analysis, workflow automation, document management, data validation, electronic reporting, and secure information sharing among stakeholders.

It has also been built with future expansion in mind, with a modular structure that will allow more utility providers and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to be added as Ghana’s energy sector grows.

Implementation of the project is expected to be completed within six months.

During that period, Indisys Global Ltd will work with the PURC, the Energy Commission and the African Development Bank to deliver what officials describe as a secure, scalable and future-ready digital regulatory platform.

The project also aligns with the African Development Bank’s broader push to support transparent, modern and financially sustainable regulatory systems across the continent.

Through the KOAFEC Trust Fund, the Bank has been supporting digital innovations aimed at improving governance, strengthening regulatory efficiency and enhancing public service delivery.

As Ghana pushes ahead with its wider digital transformation agenda and plans linked to a 24-hour economy, the RIDBMS Phase II project is expected to become an important tool for improving utility regulation.

Officials say the platform should help regulators make faster and more informed decisions, improve operational efficiency and strengthen consumer protection, ultimately supporting more reliable, transparent and responsive electricity and water services for Ghanaians.