Adeline Aryee Director (2nd left) and other participants
Fidelity Bank Ghana has called for greater investment in African-owned digital infrastructure and payment systems to help the continent retain value from its growing digital economy.
The call was made during the 2026 3i Africa Summit, where the Bank participated in discussions on digital infrastructure, fintech innovation and Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
Speaking on the topic “Digital Public Infrastructure: Building Africa’s Foundations in a Platform-Driven World,” Director of Financial Institutions Group at Fidelity Bank, Adeline Aryee, said Africa must prioritise building its own digital rails and payment platforms.
“If we build our own rails, it goes without saying that we will get the value from those rails,” she stated.
She noted that digital public infrastructure had become a strategic national asset, similar to roads and bridges, and should be intentionally developed to support economic growth and sovereignty across the continent.
Mrs. Aryee commended the country’s progress in financial inclusion and digital payments but said Africa must now move beyond inclusion towards ownership and value creation.
She questioned why many local transactions still rely on foreign payment systems despite the existence of domestic platforms such as Gh-link.
According to her, excessive dependence on external payment rails places unnecessary pressure on African economies and currencies.
“Global tech is good, and we appreciate what global giants have done, but Africa needs to wake up. It is time to create our own rails and retain value on the continent,” she added.
During the Ecosystem Roundtable on “The Intersection of Platforms, Talent, and Markets in Building Africa’s Digital Economy,” Head of Mobile Financial Services at Fidelity Bank, Prince Osei Hyeaman-Addai, said digital solutions must be developed based on real market needs.
“When you start off, you start with the market. The market tells you the pain areas, the problems to solve, and even the kind of platform you should build,” he said.
Drawing from the Bank’s experience in digital financial services and mobile money partnerships, he stressed the importance of understanding customer behaviour, trust and local realities in developing successful digital products.
Dr. Hyeaman-Addai also emphasised the need for continuous customer engagement in product development and improvement.
“The voice of the customer is critical. Even when you need to scale back or improve a product, you must return to the market and ask what you got wrong,” he noted.
He further highlighted the importance of trust, credibility and long-term planning in attracting investment into Africa’s fintech ecosystem.
According to him, startups and innovators seeking investment must demonstrate viability, transparency and sustainability.
He also referenced Fidelity Bank’s partnerships with fintech firms, including IT Consortium, which contributed to the development of wallet-to-bank integration and other digital financial services in Ghana.
The 3i Africa Summit brought together policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, fintech companies and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for accelerating innovation and inclusive growth across Africa.
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