Ghana is pushing to deepen trade ties with the UK by building a digital, rules-based trade architecture that supports industrial expansion and small business growth, High Commissioner Sabah Zita Benson said.
Speaking at a forum in London tied to the unveiling of digital trade finance platform Neofingo, Benson said future trade between the two countries must move beyond tariff regimes toward interoperable financial systems, digital platforms and coordinated regulation.
“The future of trade will increasingly be defined not only by physical connectivity but by digital interoperability. Trade’s future is digital,” she said, adding that efficient trade finance systems remain critical to unlocking cross-border investment and exports. Her remarks come as government seeks to reposition the Ghanaian economy from a reliance on raw material exports to a value-added, export-led growth model, amid global supply chain shifts and geopolitical tensions.
Benson said accessible digital trade finance tools would help close a persistent global financing gap that continues to limit opportunities for exporters, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
She called for stronger collaboration between regulators, central banks and private sector players to ensure secure platforms, transparent financial systems and harmonised standards that can reduce transaction costs, improve compliance and expand access to credit. The High Commissioner also noted the need for institutional coherence, warning that fragmented regulatory systems weaken credibility and investor confidence.
According to her, Ghana is aligning domestic reforms with this agenda, including efforts to improve the business environment, strengthen governance and expand digital infrastructure. The UK-Ghana partnership, she added, should evolve into a “strategic, collaborative and future-oriented” relationship, with a focus on co-investment in sectors such as agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, digital services and fintech.
The push reflects a broader shift among emerging economies to integrate digital finance into trade systems as a means of improving competitiveness and attracting investment.
