ADD Wraps 2 : Ghana's Digital Ecosystem In 2024
Ghana's Digital Ecosystem Year In Review : DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLATFORMS
Digital Digest No.#1011010
Date: January - December 2024
Dear Friends,
On the 24th day of Christmas,🎄 here is our true love to you! - a review of
the 2024 Ghanaian digital ecosystem in series.
23rd - DIGITAL GOVERNANCE
24th - DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLATFORMS
27th - DIGITAL FINANCE
30th - DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
31st - DIGITAL TALENTS
Digital Infrastructure and Platforms
News updates
Ghana Implements ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative with Cote d’Ivoire
The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, announced that Ghana had successfully implemented the ECOWAS free roaming initiative in collaboration with Cote d’Ivoire. This simply means that Ghanaian subscribers of any network in Ghana visiting Cote d’Ivoire will receive calls without paying any international roaming charges and will be charged the Cote d’Ivoire local rate when making calls to Ghana while in Cote d’Ivoire and vice versa.
Vodafone to rebrand as Telecel
Vodafone Ghana through a social media post has hinted at rebranding the company as Telecel Ghana. This is coming a year after the National Communication Authority approved the takeover of Vodafone Ghana by Telecel which has assumed a majority shareholder status and has been operating under the Vodafone brand name for about a year now.
NCA approves Starlink’s satellite broadband application
The National Communications Authority (NCA) says it has approved Space X Starlink GH LTD, the operator of Starlink Satellite Broadband, to provide Satellite Broadband Services in Ghana saying the approval of the application follows the policy approval of the satellite licensing framework in Ghana by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and that “The administrative processes towards the issuance of the license is ongoing and will be completed shortly.”
MainOne submarine cable repairs complete: Internet services restored
Following an outage that disrupted internet services such as banking and telecommunication services in some West African countries including Ghana and Nigeria since March 14, 2024, MainOne, a leading provider of undersea fiber optic internet connectivity, has announced the successful completion of repairs to its submarine cable.
MTN Ghana To Completely Phase Out Scratch Cards By June 30
MTN Ghana, as part of its sustainability strategy to lead digital solutions and adopt clean environmental practices in Ghana will officially complete the phasing out of scratch cards by June 30, 2024. Customers with unused MTN scratch cards will not be able to recharge them after July 1, 2024.
PAIX Data Centres expands capacity in Ghana to 1.2 MW
PAIX Data Centres, a leading pan-African developer and operator of data centres, today announced the expansion of its facility in Accra to 1.2 MW, in a critical boost to the digital economy that will support connectivity and economic growth.
Google Introduces “Ga Maamli” A Font Inspired By The Ga Community In Ghana
Google has released a new font called “Ga Maamli”. The font is inspired by handwritten event posters found in the vibrant coastal communities of Ga (Accra). The font was designed by 3 creatives - Afotey Clement Nii Odai, a creative designer, Ama Diaka, a storyteller and a community catalyst, and David Abbey-Thompson, a creative and Project director.
Samsung Leads The Smartphone Space In Ghana with 44% Marketshare
Ghana's fast growing smartphone market is dominated by Samsung with a 44% share, followed by Tecno at 28.1% and Itel at 9.7%. These brands have successfully captured the market by offering a range of devices that balance affordability with functionality, then there are financing schemes such as MTN's "Pick & Pay Later" and Vodafone/Telecel's "Pay Small Small" enaabling consumers to purchase smartphones through manageable payment plans. The Ghanaian smartphone market is expected to generate $1.5 billion in revenue by 2024 with a 4.98% annual growth rate through 2029.
FDA launches new online advertisement application portal
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has launched a new Online Advertisement Application Portal, designed to streamline the process of submitting, reviewing, and approving advertisements for FDA-regulated products. The system allows customers to submit advertisements, make payments, and receive approvals without physical visits.
Over Ghȼ1.9m Lost To Online Investment Scams In 8 Months
The Cyber Security Authority’s (CSA) has reported an sharp increase in online investment scams, leading to significant financial losses, explaining that these scams involve fraudsters replicating legitimate investment company websites and luring unsuspecting individuals with promises of high returns within a short period.
MTN To Invest US$1bn In Network Expansion Over 5 Yrs
MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett presenting an overview of MTN’s strategic plans at the Ghana Stock Exchange’s (GSE) ‘Facts Behind the Figures’ forum has revealed that MTN Ghana over the next five years, plans to spend US$1billion, with a substantial portion of the funds allocated to network expansion and modernization.
Ministry of Works and Housing Launches New Online Rent Platform. It Is Problematic
In a bid to address the housing crisis and the challenges faced by renters, the Ministry of Works and Housing of Ghana has launched an online rent platform, meant to offer a range of services, including the ability to register properties, file complaints, resolve disputes,, etc. The rollout of the platform has however exposed several shortcomings, which this article explores.
CEO for Ghana’s 5G supplier, NextGen InfraCo Declared Missing
Barely a week to the November 1 implementation of the 5G service announced by the Communication Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and The Chief Executive of Ghanaian firm NextGen InfraCo, the company awarded the licensing contract to execute Ghana's upgrade to the 5G spectrum, has been declared missing by the Ghana Police Service.
5G Services Yet to Be Rolled Out by Telecom Operators in Ghana
Although 5G services in the country were launched over a month ago, no telecom operator in Ghana has deployed the service for consumers.Some critics question whether the market is ready to justify the leap to 5G as the current state of 4G penetration in Ghana is relatively low.
Addendum - The Untold Story of 5G in Ghana: Scam or reality
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent commissioning of Ghana’s e-gate system at the Kotoka International Airport has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Many observers have pointed out that this is not a novel achievement but rather a repackaging of a project first launched in 2015 and relaunched in 2018. This piece shares the synthesis of this development by IMANI Policy analyst Bright Simons. He calls it a troubling phenomenon in governance—state enchantment.
Hubtel And The $25 Million ECG Power App.
Hubtel, the Ghanaian fintech company which built the ECG Power App for revenue collection by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has denied being paid $25 million for the App. This was in response to civil society groups and media commentators backlashing Hubtel for other reasons as well including political ownership,3% of every electricity unit purchased by customers of ECG,etc
Press Play! - Here’s a recording of our X (twitter) spaces discussing Ghana’s 2024 Digital Ecosystem. It was fun!
Thank you for spending your year with us!
We’ll see you on 27th! Merry Christmas🎄
Please share us with your friends, co-workers, and tech enthusiasts in your network.
Send us an email at info@nodeeight.org if you have any news update, op-eds or events you would want us to feature.
Cheers! 🍻