Security and Reliability are Cornerstones of Ghana’s Digital Payment Future – Jalilu Issahaku

The Head of Technology Delivery and APO at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Jalilu Issahaku, has emphasized the importance of building secure, reliable and convenient digital payment systems to sustain customer trust and strengthen Ghana’s transition toward a fully interoperable payment ecosystem. He made the remarks during a panel discussion at the 10DX Summit – Ghana Edition – where industry leaders examined the future of everyday payments in the country.

Speaking on the topic “From Trotro to Till: The Future of Everyday Payment in Ghana,” Mr. Issahaku said banks and payment service providers must prioritize consistent system availability and robust end-to-end security to support the needs of customers who transact across borders and time zones.

He stated that today’s financial consumer expects digital platforms to be active and secure regularly. “We must ensure that the security built into the entire system is truly end-to-end. Our customers are located across the world, in China, Australia and beyond, and they transact at different hours. If someone initiates a transaction during their daytime, the system here in Ghana must still be up, even if it is midnight. Constant availability is essential to building trust.”

Mr. Issahaku noted that system downtime, even for scheduled maintenance, can affect customer confidence and disrupt critical transactions. He emphasized that financial institutions must adopt advanced tools that allow for continuous monitoring and proactive detection of system issues.

“Installing advanced observability tools enables us to track and monitor systems in real time. For any platform to be trusted, it must always be secured. Customers are looking for safety, reliability and convenience and we must build all of these into our digital services,” he said.

Touching on user experience, he added that convenience is now a major determinant of customer satisfaction in digital banking. He explained that banks must streamline their processes by leveraging existing data to avoid making customers repeat the same onboarding steps across multiple channels.

“If a client has registered on an internet banking platform, they should not have to re-enter the same information when onboarding onto an app. These are the areas where customers expect seamless integration. Convenience must complement security and reliability if we want to expand the reach of interoperability.”

The 10DX Summit, organized annually across several African markets, is a technology and innovation conference that convenes leaders in banking, fintech, telecommunications, and digital commerce to discuss emerging trends shaping the continent’s digital transformation. The Ghana Edition brought together key sector players to explore solutions for scaling digital payments, advancing interoperability, and unlocking new opportunities for economic growth.