A global academic and technical consortium is being convened to provide a rigorous study of Ghana’s groundbreaking multi-site data-capturing platform developed by Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

The effort is viewed as perhaps a defining chapter in Africa’s digital industrial transformation phase.

The platform’s real-time capabilities have already enhanced revenue assurance for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), with independent reviews, such as the 2024 KPMG assessment, affirming its technical credibility and fiscal contribution.

The system is also under review by various public and private sector entities as part of broader national efforts to enhance forecasting accuracy, improve operational planning and institutionalise data-driven decision-making.

According to Professor Douglas Boateng, Africa’s first-ever appointed Professor Extraordinaire in Supply and Value Chain Management and one of the platform’s independent monitors, SML’s system stands out as a generational innovation with both local relevance and global significance.

“The goal is to separate the noise from the substance, to distinguish between a lack of understanding around evolving risk-reward business models and the evidence-based value of a working system,” Prof. Boateng stated.

While it is not yet fully adopted across all sectors, it is being actively considered, subject to clearly defined terms, governance protocols and rigorous value-for-money assessments.

The fused data platform, which integrates real-time insights across oil, gas, telecommunications, water and downstream petroleum sites, is gaining attention not just for its operational performance but also for symbolising a transformational solution engineered within an emerging economy and built by Africans for Africans.

Demonstrated characteristics

Its demonstrated characteristics have engaged the attention of African countries, where finance and planning institutions are closely observing Ghana’s experience.

Some industry watchers view SML’s fused data innovation as a potential model for advancing domestic revenue assurance, sectoral accountability and planning efficiency in specific economies.

According to global market research, the revenue assurance industry was valued at $6.37 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed $18.93 billion by 2034, growing at an average annual rate of 11.5 per cent.

SML’s fused data innovation positions it as a continental pioneer with the potential to export both the system and the technical knowledge behind it.

From copper belts in Zambia to oil ports in Nigeria and energy corridors in Kenya, SML’s model offers scalable applications that could transform how African states secure, measure and govern their industrial value chains.

The international study slated to begin in the third quarter of 2025 will involve collaboration with institutions such as Ghana’s University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and academic and technical partners across North America, Europe and Africa.

The consortium will include experts in engineering, systems automation, digital governance, economics, public-private partnerships and policy development.

The goal is to produce a global case study that captures the technical innovation and the institutional learnings from Ghana’s experience with the SML platform.