Ghana has officially validated its first National E-Commerce Strategy following a national workshop hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The workshop marked a significant step in Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, as the country moves to leverage online commerce for economic inclusion and sustainable development.
According to MoTAI, the strategy aims to confront systemic and trade-related barriers while boosting the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
“It targets the creation of decent jobs, improved logistics and payment systems, and digital access for women and rural communities, with the goal of building a more inclusive and diversified economy through e-commerce”
MoTAI
The event brought together stakeholders from government, private sector, academia, civil society, and development agencies to review and validate the draft strategy.
“This strategy is ambitious yet practical while promoting trust in the digital space, improving logistics and payment systems, supporting MSMEs to thrive online, and ensuring inclusive access for women and rural communities.
“It is the beginning of a coordinated national effort to make e-commerce work for all Ghanaians”
Hon. Sampson Ahi, Deputy Minister of MoTAI
The formulation of the strategy is grounded in the findings of the eTrade Readiness Assessment conducted by UNCTAD in 2023, following a formal request from the Ministry. The report, published in November that year, identified major gaps in policy, infrastructure, and institutional coordination that were limiting the growth of Ghana’s e-commerce ecosystem.
In March 2024, the Ministry again reached out to UNCTAD for technical assistance in developing a “holistic national framework for digital trade.”
“The validation workshop is the culmination of months of intensive consultations, national dialogues, inter-ministerial collaboration, and engagement with the private sector and development partners”
MoTAI
It added that the process reflects a shared commitment to align Ghana’s trade policy with the demands of the digital age.
One of the key structures announced during the workshop is the creation of an E-commerce and Digital Trade National Steering Committee.
The committee, which will include representatives from both public and private sectors, academia, and civil society, is expected to oversee the implementation of the strategy, evaluate its effectiveness, and ensure inter-sectoral policy coherence.
“Ghana’s commitment to shaping a forward-looking e-commerce strategy is a testament to the country’s vision for inclusive and sustainable digital transformation,” said Torbjörn Fredriksson, Head of the E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch at UNCTAD.
“UNCTAD is proud to support this process, which not only aligns with national development goals but also strengthens the digital capabilities of MSMEs as engines of growth and job creation”
Torbjörn Fredriksson, Head of the E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch at UNCTAD
The strategy has been developed within the framework of a broader joint programme involving the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.
The initiative, funded by the 2023 Joint SDG Fund Digital Transformation Round, focuses on improving national capacity to implement inclusive reforms and boost MSME productivity.
Consultations for the strategy began in June 2024 and continued through to November, with a series of national dialogues and stakeholder engagements that provided insight into digital bottlenecks, infrastructure deficits, regulatory gaps, and e-payment challenges.
According to MoTAI, this participatory process not only helped shape the policy document but also built stronger collaboration between ministries and stakeholders in Ghana’s emerging digital economy.
The Ministry emphasised that the validation of the National E-Commerce Strategy is not the end of the process, but the beginning of structured implementation efforts. “We are taking decisive steps to create an enabling environment where MSMEs can scale digitally, compete globally, and generate meaningful employment,” it noted.
The document is expected to provide a roadmap for long-term digital growth, aligning with Ghana’s broader economic transformation objectives.
While outlining its commitment to e-commerce expansion, the Ministry reiterated the importance of continued donor coordination, infrastructure development, and the full operationalization of the Steering Committee to realise the strategy’s goals.
With the validation process concluded, Ghana now stands poised to integrate more effectively into the global digital economy while ensuring that the benefits of e-commerce reach every segment of society.
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