Ghana’s top financial services and digital economy leaders gathered in Accra on January 23, 2026, for a high-level conversation on the future of the country’s financial system, as questions around innovation, regulation, trust, and accountability take centre stage.
The closed-door dinner, held under the Future of Finance Dialogues (FOF) series, brought together senior policymakers, regulators, bankers, and fintech leaders for candid discussions on how Ghana can scale modern financial services without compromising stability or public confidence. The invite-only event was conducted under the Chatham House Rule, allowing participants to speak freely.
Convened by technology governance expert Ethel Cofie, the dialogue focused on key themes shaping Ghana’s financial future — Open Banking, payments infrastructure, virtual asset regulation, data governance, and institutional accountability in an increasingly interconnected digital ecosystem.
The dinner drew a deliberate mix of public and private sector leadership. Public officials referenced in subsequent coverage included Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mrs. Matilda Asante Asiedu, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, and Hon. Dr. Abed Nego Azumah Bandim, Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu and Chair of Parliament’s Select Committee on Information and Communications.
Regulatory perspectives were also well represented. Officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Data Protection Commission featured prominently in discussions around market oversight, consumer protection, and responsible data use. Senior figures such as Mensah Thompson and Dr. Arnold Kavaarpuo were cited in conversations addressing how regulation must evolve alongside innovation.
From the private sector, leading voices included Farihan Alhassan of GCB Bank, Julian Opuni of Fidelity Bank, and Pearl Nkrumah of Access Bank Ghana, who also serves as Chair of the Ghana Stock Exchange Board. They were joined by fintech founders and ecosystem builders shaping Ghana’s rapidly growing digital finance landscape.
Ethel Cofie, CEO and Founder of EDEL Technology Consulting and Founder of Women in Tech Africa, is widely recognised for bridging the gap between technology execution and boardroom governance. Her work at the intersection of digital transformation, market development, and implementation shaped the multi-stakeholder tone of the dialogue.
The timing of the event was particularly significant. The dinner took place in the same week Ghana’s policy direction on Open Banking and virtual assets began to crystallise, making the discussions not just forward-looking, but immediately relevant to ongoing regulatory and market developments.
As Ghana pushes deeper into digital finance, the Future of Finance Dialogue underscored a shared understanding among leaders: innovation must move forward but trust, accountability, and consumer protection must move with it.
