Ghana Card a catalyst for financial inclusion — MobileMoney Ltd’s Abdul Razak Issaka Ali

Chief Commercial Operations Officer of MobileMoney Ltd (MML), Abdul Razak Issaka Ali, has commended the Government of Ghana for the successful implementation of the Ghana Card, describing it as a major enabler of financial inclusion and digital identity integration.

According to him, the national identification system has significantly improved access to financial services by providing a unified and verifiable identity framework, which has become critical for expanding digital financial services across the country.

“The Ghana Card has helped in financial inclusion in terms of national identification, and that is something the government should be commended for,” Mr. Ali stated. He noted that the initiative has created a foundation for seamless verification, customer onboarding, and Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance, all of which are vital for the growth of digital finance and mobile money operations.

Speaking at a high-level panel discussion on the theme “From Exclusion to Inclusion – DPI and Inclusive Development in Africa” during a conference organized by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on Journalism and Digital Public Infrastructure, Mr. Ali emphasized that the integration of digital identity with financial systems is a transformative step toward achieving inclusion and transparency.

He, however, noted that while the Ghana Card has laid a solid groundwork, more needs to be done to fully unlock the potential of digital public goods across Ghana and the West African sub-region. He stressed that for countries to fully benefit from digital infrastructure such as digital identity, payments, and data-sharing frameworks, regulatory flexibility and strong public-private collaboration must be strengthened.

Mr. Ali explained that overly rigid or slow-moving regulatory systems could stifle innovation in the fintech ecosystem and delay progress toward regional financial integration. “For Ghana and the sub-region to fully benefit from digital public goods, regulatory flexibility and public-private collaboration must be strengthened,” he said.

He added that Ghana’s fintech ecosystem, which has evolved rapidly in recent years, can serve as a model for regional financial inclusion if policymakers and regulators provide a predictable and supportive environment that allows innovation to thrive.

Industry players, he noted, remain optimistic that with continued collaboration between the public and private sectors, Ghana can position itself as a digital finance hub connecting the West African sub-region through interoperable systems and inclusive financial services.

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye