Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama has outlined a bold and forward-looking vision to strengthen the cedi’s resilience, reinforce its central role in Ghana’s economic life, and position the country as an active participant in the rapidly evolving global monetary landscape.
Delivering his address at the Cedi @ 60 International Currency Conference in Accra, Dr. Asiama provided an assessment of the cedi’s six-decade journey and the challenges and opportunities shaping its future. According to him, protecting the national currency has become both a strategic and national imperative.
A Currency That Reflects Ghana’s Economic Story
Dr. Asiama described the cedi as a currency that has moved with the Ghanaian people through every phase of national development.
“For 60 years, the cedi has moved with our people. It has gone into markets, small shops, farms, trotro stations and into the routines of daily life. It has helped families plan, helped businesses grow and supported communities,” he said.
He noted that the cedi has mirrored Ghana’s triumphs and struggles, from bold economic reforms to difficult periods of instability that tested the resilience of institutions and citizens.
Preparing the Cedi for a Digital Future
With digital payments, tokenised value systems and AI-driven security tools reshaping how money functions, Dr. Asiama highlighted the urgent need for central banks to rethink currency management.
“Young Ghanaians are growing up in a world where value moves instantly, where digital interaction is second nature and where expectations of transparency, convenience and accountability continue to rise,” he said.
He reaffirmed that Ghana’s ongoing work on payment-system modernisation and the eCedi pilot demonstrates the central bank’s commitment to maintaining a secure, interoperable and future-ready national currency.
Combatting Dollarisation and Protecting Monetary Sovereignty
One of the governor’s strongest messages was directed at the growing trend of dollarisation. Dr. Asiama warned that currency substitution undermines Ghana’s monetary sovereignty and weakens the effectiveness of economic policy.
“We are strengthening efforts to re-encode the cedi as the unquestioned medium of exchange, addressing the pressures toward currency substitution and dollarisation,” he stressed.
He emphasised that a stable currency requires disciplined macroeconomic management, institutional stability and public confidence.
The Governor underlined that currency management is no longer the exclusive responsibility of central banks. Instead, it sits at the crossroads of security design, payment innovation, technology, cross-border regulation, and global policy coordination.
“Currency management now sits at the intersection of many disciplines,” he noted.
The conference brought together central bank governors, fintech innovators, academics, currency designers, payment specialists and global security experts, reflecting the wide ecosystem shaping modern money.
A Shared National Duty to Protect the Cedi
Dr. Asiama reiterated that safeguarding the cedi must be a collective effort. “Protecting the cedi is not a task of any one institution. It is a shared endeavour rooted in our belief in Ghana’s future,” he said.
He welcomed the presence of former president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, describing it as evidence of the national importance attached to the Cedi @ 60 celebration and the central bank’s mandate.
Closing his address, Dr. Asiama called on policymakers, industry experts, and stakeholders to contribute insights that will guide the evolution of the cedi in an era defined by rapid technological change and global uncertainty.
“The cedi belongs to all of us. It carries our confidence, our efforts and our belief in the future of this country,” he said.
The conference continues with expert panels on digital currency integration, payment-system resilience, advances in currency security and strategies to strengthen Ghana’s financial sovereignty.
