The Director of Enterprise Business and Wholesale at Telecel Ghana, Tawa Bolarin, has called on African governments and industry leaders to dismantle barriers limiting digital trade and connectivity across the continent, arguing that Africa’s economic future depends on a more integrated digital ecosystem.
Speaking at the 11th Ghana Female CEO Summit in Accra, Ms Bolarin urged policymakers to harmonise digital infrastructure regulations and create open markets capable of accelerating innovation, regional trade and financial inclusion.
Addressing a panel discussion on “Women Building Africa’s Digital Ecosystem, Innovation and Inclusive Growth,” she said African economies could unlock greater growth if movement, digital transactions and market access across borders became easier.
“We need to ensure growth beyond our local environment and make access to markets, financial transactions and movement across the continent easier and without barriers,” she stated.
Her remarks come amid growing discussions around Africa’s digital transformation agenda and the need to bridge persistent gaps in internet access, smartphone ownership and digital literacy despite major investments in telecommunications infrastructure.
Ms Bolarin noted that while network coverage across Ghana has expanded significantly over the past five years, millions of people remain excluded from meaningful participation in the digital economy due to limited access to smartphones and digital tools.
“If we look at today and five years ago, connectivity borders on access and that hasn’t changed. Three-quarters of Ghana is covered by connectivity as of now, but smartphone penetration is at 46 per cent because half don’t have access to smart devices to be connected. If we can tackle that, more people can equally access and participate in the digital ecosystem,” she explained.
She further stressed that connectivity alone would not be sufficient to drive digital inclusion unless people acquired the skills needed to leverage technology for economic opportunities.
According to her, many individuals and small businesses already have internet access but lack the knowledge and technical capabilities required to transform digital access into commercial growth and innovation.
“People have access to the internet but don’t have the knowledge to convert that into a business tool. Technology keeps moving at a rapid pace, and the agility to be able to keep up with that pace requires commitment and support if we want more people to participate in the digital economy,” she added.
The summit brought together leading female executives, technology professionals, entrepreneurs and policymakers to discuss strategies for building a resilient African economy through innovation, inclusion and sustainable business practices.
The panel session was moderated by Akosua Annobil and featured contributions from Deborah Asmah of Mpontu Technologies and Jubilare Group, Gillian Darko of Yellow Card, and Estelle Akofio-Sowah of CSquared Ghana.
Discussions focused on digital infrastructure development, fintech collaboration, women-led innovation and expanding digital opportunities within underserved communities across Africa.
The Ghana Female CEO Summit, now in its 11th edition, has evolved into one of the country’s leading platforms for female business leadership and policy dialogue. This year’s summit was held under the theme “Women Driving Sustainable Business for a Resilient Africa.”
