Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia captivated students at Harvard University in the United States with an insightful lecture on Ghana’s digitalisation progress.

Speaking as the keynote speaker on Saturday on the theme "Africa Beyond Borders: A Myth or a Mandate for Africa’s Progress," Dr. Bawumia detailed Ghana’s globally acclaimed digitalisation initiatives and their positive impact on economic transformation.

He highlighted how Africa missed out on the first, second, and third industrial revolutions and emphasised that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is indispensable for transforming African economies in the 21st century.

"Policy makers in Africa must act with a mindset of possibilities. We should embrace technology and not be intimidated by it. We must believe that we can leapfrog the advanced nations in many areas if we put our minds to it," Dr. Bawumia stated.

He underscored how Ghana's digitalisation drive, which he played an instrumental role in, is addressing long-standing challenges hampering modern economic growth.

"For over 60 years after independence, Ghana had a largely informal system without many of the basic elements necessary for a modern economic system. Today, we are building a formal, systems- and data-based economy to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution," he added.

Ghana’s digital success story

Dr. Bawumia outlined how, over the past eight years, Ghana has embarked on an aggressive policy of digitalisation to jumpstart the economic transformation of the country. He explained that the focus was on digital technology that could solve Ghana’s unique challenges, rather than advanced innovations such as driverless cars or humanoid robots. The country, he noted, needed technology to address issues in agriculture, health, education, access to credit, payment system efficiency, public service delivery, and revenue mobilisation.

He recalled how digitalisation was initially seen as a peripheral issue in Ghana’s national development agenda.

"My focus on digitalisation as Vice President was the subject of ridicule by political opponents. But I stuck to my vision and set out to use digitalisation to solve the everyday problems faced by Ghanaians and, in so doing, build an engine for economic growth and job creation," he said.

Dr. Bawumia explained that before Ghana’s digital transformation, most citizens lacked official identity records, making it possible to be born, live, and die without any documentation. The issuance of the Ghana Card to 85 percent of the adult population has significantly addressed this issue. He further noted that the absence of a functional national address system had long hindered economic activity, a challenge that has now been resolved through the introduction of a digital address system.

The former Vice President also highlighted how a predominantly informal economy and reliance on cash payments had been transformed through mobile money interoperability, making Ghana one of the most financially inclusive countries in the world. He added that previously fragmented and manual public service databases had been digitised, making processes such as passport applications, driver’s license registrations, and business certifications more efficient. He further noted that Ghana’s healthcare sector had seen a significant improvement through the digitalisation of health records and the introduction of a world-renowned medical drone delivery service, which has improved healthcare access in remote areas.

A pathway for job creation

Beyond modernising the economy, Dr. Bawumia emphasised that digitalisation is creating jobs and boosting businesses, particularly through digital payments.

"The digital payments infrastructure, along with the digital property address system, is boosting e-commerce in Ghana and creating jobs," he said.

He observed that e-commerce is thriving, with many transactions now taking place on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and other websites. Many entrepreneurs who cannot afford to rent or build physical shops are now able to do business online at minimal cost, with deliveries facilitated by the digital address system and payments processed through mobile money interoperability.

Call for Africa to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Dr. Bawumia cautioned that Africa risks falling further behind if it does not embrace the technological advancements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

"Africa missed the first industrial revolution, which saw the transition from manual small-scale production to mechanised production. Then we missed the second industrial revolution, where electricity powered mass production. The third industrial revolution, driven by computers, also did not see Africa develop like others," he said.

"We are now in the fourth industrial revolution, where technologies have come together in a global network to create the internet, which is the greatest machine ever created by mankind, and using that to also energise tools and equipment to make them ‘smart’ through the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)."

He urged African leaders to adopt a mindset of possibilities and embrace technological advancements for the continent’s progress.

"By working together—governments, businesses, educators, and innovators—we can build a future where every African has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a brighter tomorrow," he concluded