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By Ethel COFIE
Ghana’s digital economy is accelerating. From fintech to agritech, local innovators are developing scalable platforms—not just for domestic use, but for broader African markets.
Yet, Ghana’s export promotion strategy remains anchored in traditional goods such as cocoa, cashew, and textiles.
While these continue to be valuable contributors to national revenue, they no longer reflect the full scope of the country’s economic potential. Digital services and software solutions are the next frontier—and Ghana must treat them as such.
It is time to formalize and support the export of Ghanaian digital products and services through a dedicated strategy. A Digital Export Desk is one such solution.
Ghana’s emerging digital export strength
Across several key verticals, Ghanaian technology companies are already gaining traction beyond national borders:
Agritech: Companies like Farmerline, AgroCenta, and Esoko are offering mobile-enabled logistics, payment, and weather information services to farmers across West Africa.
Fintech: Platforms such as ExpressPay and SlydePay are enabling digital payments and financial infrastructure in Ghana and neighboring countries.
Healthtech: Firms like mPharma and Redbird are delivering diagnostic tools, pharmacy logistics, and health information systems across multiple African countries.
Edtech: Companies like eCampus and Wolo TV are digitizing learning and test preparation, with potential to expand into regional education markets.
E-commerce and Logistics Tech: Startups such as Hubtel and Jetstream Africa are addressing last-mile delivery and freight logistics with mobile-first solutions.
GovTech and Civic Tech: Locally developed platforms are digitizing public service delivery at the district and municipal levels, offering templates that can be adapted by low-capacity governments in other African countries.
Creative Tech: Animation, gaming, and digital storytelling platforms built in Ghana are capturing the interest of diaspora audiences and finding licensing opportunities in global markets.
The Case for a Digital Export Desk
A Digital Export Desk housed within Ghana’s export promotion infrastructure would serve as a dedicated unit to identify, support, and promote Ghana’s digital products and services internationally—starting with African markets and expanding globally.
Key responsibilities of the Desk would include:
- Mapping export-ready digital businesses across sectors
- Providing legal, tax, and regulatory advisory for cross-border expansion
- Facilitating participation in international trade expos and digital missions
- Developing target market strategies tailored to digital services
- Introducing a Digital Export Readiness Index for Ghanaian technology firms
- Coordinating with the AfCFTA Secretariat to align with ongoing continental trade frameworks
Why Now?
Africa’s digital economy is expected to reach $712 billion by 2050, according to joint research by the International Finance Corporation and Google. Meanwhile, global trade in digital services is growing three times faster than trade in goods.
Ghana already possesses many of the foundational ingredients—entrepreneurial talent, scalable platforms, and strong local demand. What is missing is institutional alignment. By establishing a Digital Export Desk, Ghana can move beyond incidental success stories toward a structured, high-impact digital export strategy.
Strategic Payoffs
Launching a Digital Export Desk will:
- Boost Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings through software, licensing, and service-based exports
- Position Ghana as a leader in Africa’s digital economy
- Enhance the global visibility of Ghanaian digital innovation
- Support job creation in high-growth service sectors
Call to Action
Ghana’s trade, technology, and innovation stakeholders—across both public and private sectors—must collaborate to:
- Launch a pilot Digital Export Desk with cross-sector input
- Develop a sector-specific export strategy for digital solutions
- Leverage Ghana’s hosting of the AfCFTA Secretariat to initiate Ghana-led pilots in digital trade promotion
Conclusion
Ghana has long exported cocoa, gold, and textiles. Today, we also export platforms, code, and digital knowledge. A Digital Export Desk is not a symbolic gesture—it is a strategic necessity for an economy looking to lead in the next phase of Africa’s transformation.
The question is not whether Ghana can export digital solutions. It already is. The question is: will we build the institutional support to do so at scale?
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