Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Fintech LTD (MMFL), Shaibu Haruna, has called for Ghana’s emerging digital asset ecosystem to be built on the country’s existing mobile money infrastructure, describing tokenisation as the next step in expanding digital financial services.
Speaking during a panel discussion on “From Exploration to Adoption: How Banks and FinTechs Can Build the Digital Asset Ecosystem Together” at Fidelity Bank Ghana’s stakeholder workshop themed “Shaping Ghana’s Financial Future: Digital Assets, Virtual Assets, Tokenisation,” Mr. Haruna said Ghana has already developed a solid foundation that can support the adoption of digital assets.
According to him, years of investment in mobile money and interoperability have resulted in a robust domestic payment infrastructure that can now be leveraged to deliver new digital financial products and services.
“We have built a domestic highway and network for digital payments. Through interoperability and mobile money, we have created a strong domestic payment infrastructure. What we are now adding is an international gateway that addresses the friction that exists in cross-border payments,” he said.
Haruna explained that tokenisation should not be seen as replacing existing financial systems but rather as building on them to make financial services more accessible, efficient and inclusive.
He noted that Ghana’s digital payment ecosystem already provides the foundation for customers to seamlessly access regulated digital asset services through familiar platforms.
“For me, this is about leveraging the infrastructure we have already built. Customers no longer need to visit physical branches to carry out transactions. They already use their mobile phones every day. Our responsibility is to build platforms that enable them to seamlessly access these new services while giving them greater choice,” he stated.
The MMFL CEO said digital assets present significant opportunities in areas such as cross-border payments, remittances and tokenised investments, adding that financial institutions should focus on practical solutions that address customer needs.
He also stressed that collaboration among banks, fintech companies and regulators would be critical to the growth of Ghana’s digital asset ecosystem.
“The question is not whether banks need mobile money operators or vice versa. The regulatory framework itself encourages partnerships. Every institution must determine where it has the expertise to build and where collaboration delivers greater value,” he added.
The panel also featured Kofi Genfi, Chief Executive Officer of Vaulta Digital Assets, and Kwadwo Owusu-Agyemang, Country Manager of Akuna Wallet, who shared perspectives on regulation, digital asset infrastructure, cross-border payments and the role of partnerships in driving adoption.
In a separate submission, Dr. David Animante, Chief Risk Officer of Fidelity Bank Ghana, said banks should view fintech companies as strategic partners rather than competitors.
According to him, while fintechs are driving rapid innovation, banks bring strengths in governance, trust, capital and risk management, making collaboration essential to building a secure and sustainable digital asset ecosystem.
The stakeholder workshop, organised by Fidelity Bank Ghana, brought together regulators, banks, fintech leaders and digital asset experts to discuss the opportunities, regulatory outlook and commercial applications of digital assets, virtual assets, tokenisation and cross-border payments in Ghana.
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