Africa’s future will be defined by how effectively we organise and build at scale — Prof Naana Jane

Vice President of Ghana, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has stated that Africa’s future will be determined by how effectively the continent collaborates, integrates, and builds systems at scale.

According to her, there is an urgent need for African countries to scale up efforts in mobile money, fintech, and digital identity systems to strengthen economic growth and continental integration.

The Vice President made the remarks in a social media post on Thursday, May 7, a day after speaking at the 3i Africa Summit 2026 organised by the Bank of Ghana in Accra.

“I joined leaders, policymakers, innovators, financial institutions, and private sector actors at the 3i Africa Summit 2026, which focused on Innovation, Investment, and Impact,” she wrote.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang stressed that Africa’s development would depend on the systems and institutions built across the continent.

“Africa’s future will not be defined by how the continent is described, but by how effectively we organise, integrate, and build at scale,” she stated.

She explained that Ghana’s role as a gateway to Africa should be measured by its ability to support seamless business, trade, and innovation through strong digital systems and institutions.

The Vice President also highlighted the importance of digital integration, including secure payment systems, trusted digital identity platforms, harmonised regulations, and modern infrastructure.

According to her, Africa has already made significant progress in mobile money and fintech, but the next challenge is expanding those gains across borders.

She cited frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area Digital Trade Protocol and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System as critical tools for reducing trade barriers and transaction costs across the continent.

“A key highlight of the summit was Ghana’s announcement that it would work with Rwanda, Zambia, and other partners to pilot a Continental Digital Trade Corridor,” she added.

The initiative, according to her, will focus on mobile money interoperability, mutual recognition of digital identity for cross-border Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, and harmonised electronic invoicing.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang further stressed the need for investment in broadband infrastructure, cloud systems, and data sovereignty to enable Africa to compete effectively in the global digital economy.

She noted that Africa’s youthful population presents enormous opportunities.