Ghana could capture a share of Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy, which the International Finance Corporation (IFC) projects could exceed US$700 billion by 2035, as the continent moves towards deeper digital trade and expanding cross-border business activity.
The projection was highlighted by African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretary-General Wamkele Mene at Unstoppable Africa 2026, where he pointed to opportunities across digital payments, data transfers and processing, mobile banking, health technology and agricultural technology.
The opportunity presents Ghanaian technology companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a potential market far beyond the country’s borders.
The AfCFTA Secretariat said the Protocol on Digital Trade provides a “forward-looking continental legal framework” to create the regulatory conditions needed for the growth of Africa’s digital economy and support emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
That framework could help address some of the barriers that make it difficult for businesses to operate across multiple African markets. Common digital trade rules, easier cross-border transactions and greater regulatory coordination could give Ghanaian firms room to expand their services beyond the local market.
Young people and SMEs are expected to play a major role in that expansion. The Secretariat described them as “innovators and businesses able to compete” across a more connected continental market.
Ghana’s position as the host of the AfCFTA Secretariat also gives the country a strategic connection to the implementation of the continental trade agenda. The immediate task, however, is turning that position into opportunities that local businesses can use.
That will require stronger digital skills, access to growth capital, reliable digital infrastructure and policies that allow technology businesses to develop and scale. Ghanaian companies will also need to build products and services that can compete on price, quality and innovation across different African markets.
The emerging digital market could create opportunities beyond technology startups. Financial services, logistics, agriculture, healthcare, professional services and other sectors can use digital platforms to reach customers and partners across the continent.
The $700 billion projection therefore points to a potential new growth market for Ghanaian businesses. Capturing part of it will require the country to build an environment where local firms can move from serving Ghana’s digital economy to competing in Africa’s.
