Dr. Johnson Asiama calls for harmonised African financial systems

Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, has called for harmonised financial systems across Africa to strengthen trade and investment.

Delivering the closing keynote address at the 2026 3i Africa Summit in Accra, Dr. Asiama urged African regulators and governments to deepen cooperation in building a more integrated continental financial ecosystem.

He said efforts toward licence passporting, supervisory convergence, and harmonisation of financial regulations must remain a priority as Africa expands its digital finance space.

“To my fellow financial regulators and government officials, the work of harmonisation of financial systems, of licence passporting, of supervisory convergence will not be buried under these conversations,” he stated.

“We have to continuously champion and support its advancement,” Dr. Asiama added.

The summit, themed “The Next Frontier: Shaping Africa’s Integrated Fintech Future,” brought together policymakers, central bank governors, fintech firms, investors, and technology experts from across the continent and beyond.

Dr. Asiama said discussions over the three-day event highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to transform Africa’s digital finance ambitions into measurable outcomes.

According to him, Africa’s financial ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation driven by innovation, regulatory reforms, and expanding digital opportunities.

“The rich discussions that took place collectively point us toward what I describe as a rebirth of Africa’s digital and financial ecosystem,” he said.

The Governor noted that stronger cross-border financial systems would support continental trade integration and improve access to digital financial services for millions of Africans.

He also highlighted Ghana’s recent economic gains, including a stable cedi, lower inflation, and stronger financial sector regulations aimed at improving confidence within the economy.

Dr. Asiama announced that the Bank of Ghana plans to establish an innovation hub, create a separate legal framework for fintech regulation, and launch a Continental FinTech Sandbox.

He further encouraged fintech founders and innovators to work closely with regulators while prioritising governance and consumer protection.

“Treat consumer trust as the strategic asset it truly is,” he advised participants at the summit.