The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has underscored the need for a resilient, inclusive and trust-based financial system as Ghana and West Africa accelerate digital transformation.

Delivering the keynote address at the 25th Silver Jubilee Edition of the Connected Banking Summit and Innovation and Excellence Awards in Accra on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, the Minister stressed that next-generation banking must go beyond cosmetic digital upgrades and be anchored in strong governance, customer trust and inclusion.

He noted that under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama, Ghana is pursuing a renewed development agenda in which digitalisation is deliberately aligned with economic sovereignty, social inclusion and national resilience.

According to him, the financial sector remains central to this agenda, as finance drives growth, opportunity and stability.

Samuel Nartey George highlighted the importance of strong public digital infrastructure, including secure digital identity systems, interoperable payment platforms and trusted data governance frameworks, as the foundation for sustainable private sector innovation.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to initiatives such as the Data Exchange Hub and the forthcoming Data Harmonisation Bill to strengthen confidence and accountability across the financial ecosystem.

The Minister further cautioned that cybersecurity and data protection have become matters of economic security, calling for stronger local capacity, clearer cross-border data rules and deeper regional cooperation to safeguard financial systems.

He urged industry players to ensure that innovation delivers tangible benefits to small businesses, women, young people, farmers and the informal sector, emphasising that technology alone does not guarantee inclusion.

He also commended the International Centre for Strategic Alliances for sustaining the Connected Banking Summit over the past 25 years and reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to collaborate with regional and global partners to build a secure, inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystem for West Africa.