The 64th World Congress of the ACI Financial Markets Association (ACI FMA) opened in Accra yesterday.
The two-day ACI Congress 2026 has brought together representatives and delegates from central banks, financial institutions, industry leaders, treasury professionals, central bankers, brokers, regulators, fintech innovators and market participants from Africa and across the world.
The event, being hosted by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and organised by ACI FMA, a leading global non-profit organisation for wholesale financial market professionals, is on the theme: “Elevating Markets, Empowering People.”
The conference will, among other things, discuss issues ranging from market evolution and digital transformation to professionalism, ethics, innovation and emerging opportunities.
It is also expected to promote collaboration and meaningful connections across the international financial community.
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, delivering the keynote address, at the opening of the conference yesterday underscored the critical role of credible regulation in driving financial market innovation.
He noted that markets without sound regulatory architecture were bound to fail and lose public trust.
“The opposite is true indeed. Markets that lack credible regulatory architecture do not innovate faster. They fragment, they fail, and they erode the trust on which the next wave of innovation depends,” he stated.
Dr Asiama explained that although regulation was widely perceived after the 2008 global financial crisis as a constraint on innovation, developments in digital finance over the past decade had shown that strong regulation actually creates the stability and confidence needed for sustainable innovation and growth.
He said macroeconomic stability remained the bedrock upon which financial market development, investment and innovation could flourish.
The Governor further observed that emerging economies were no longer simply adopting financial systems designed elsewhere, but were increasingly becoming centres of innovation in digital finance.
He cited instant payment systems, digital sovereign currencies, virtual asset frameworks and artificial intelligence-driven market intelligence as examples of innovations emerging from cities such as Accra, Nairobi, São Paulo and Mumbai.
Dr Asiama stated that Ghana’s interoperable payment ecosystem, mobile money integration and QR code infrastructure had positioned the country as a regional leader in digital finance.
He disclosed that the eCedi, Ghana’s central bank digital currency, had completed its pilot phase and was being considered for cross-border settlements and wholesale payment systems.
Dr Asiama also stressed the need for African financial markets to become more integrated and connected, warning that isolated markets would struggle to compete globally.
The Chairman of ACI Financial Markets Association, Mr Roy Daniels, described the hosting of the congress in Ghana as a proud moment for Africa and commended ACI Ghana for the successful organisation of the event.
He said ACI, founded in 1955, currently operates in 61 countries with over 15,000 market professionals worldwide, and remained committed to promoting professionalism, ethics and integrity in wholesale financial markets.
Mr Daniels noted that Africa’s financial markets continued to expand rapidly, revealing that seven out of eight countries currently seeking affiliation with ACI were from the African region.
He said this development reflected the growing interest in financial market education, knowledge-sharing and institutional growth across the continent.
The President of ACI Ghana and ACI Africa, Mr Lawrence Osilaja Boampong, said the congress marked a significant milestone for Africa’s growing role in global financial markets.
He noted that for the first time in nearly two decades, the ACI World Congress had returned to Africa, making Accra the focal point for global discussions on innovation, partnerships and financial market development.
Mr Boampong said the congress was taking place at a crucial time when global economies were adapting to rapid technological change, digital transformation and evolving regulatory frameworks.
He urged delegates to use the platform to deepen collaboration, build partnerships and explore opportunities that would shape the future of global financial markets.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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