Ghana is stepping up the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital systems to tighten public financial management and curb revenue losses, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko said, as authorities seek to consolidate fiscal gains and rebuild investor confidence.
Speaking at the 2026 annual conference of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, Nyarko said the next phase of reforms will focus on technology, transparency and enforcement to move beyond compliance-driven systems.
“These have been foundational to our fiscal credibility,” Nyarko said, referring to recent reforms. “They signal to citizens, investors, and development partners that Ghana is serious about discipline, accountability, and reform. However, we cannot be complacent because in public finance, good is never good enough.”
The government has elevated public financial management reforms to a top priority, establishing new oversight units within the Ministry of Finance Ghana to enforce compliance and oversee system upgrades. A newly created Public Financial Management (PFM) Systems Division is tasked with ensuring reforms are delivered on time and within budget.
Central to the strategy is the deployment of an AI-powered system to strengthen customs administration, detect undervaluation and address long-standing revenue leakages at the country’s ports.
The move stems from pressure on government to sustain fiscal discipline after recent economic challenges. Authorities say improving revenue mobilisation and expenditure controls will be critical to maintaining macroeconomic stability. “We must accept that rules are not enough,” Nyarko said. “They must be measured, enforced, and visible.”
The ministry has also introduced a PFM Compliance Leak Table to rank public institutions based on adherence to financial rules, part of efforts to increase transparency and accountability. Digital VAT systems, fiscal devices and real-time monitoring tools are being rolled out to modernise revenue administration.
The reforms aim to shift public finance management toward data-driven decision-making, with officials highlighting the need for capabilities in analytics and risk-based oversight. “Modern fiscal governance requires new capabilities including data analytics, systems thinking, and risk-based decision making,” Nyarko said.
Nyarko described the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department as central to economic transformation, stressing that stronger controls and reporting systems would determine whether public resources translate into infrastructure and social services. “We know that fiscal governance is the foundation upon which economic stability, investor confidence, and national development are built,” he said.
Authorities say the reforms are structural and aimed at preventing a return to past cycles of fiscal slippage. The government is betting that stronger systems and enforcement will underpin a more resilient economy. “The economy is stabilizing. Confidence is returning. The foundation is firm,” Nyarko said. “Now we must build.”
