Clara Arthur
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Clara Arthur, has stated that the African continent cannot underrate the importance of collaboration, innovation and resilient infrastructure in shaping its digital financial future.
Speaking at the 3iAfrica Summit 2026 in Accra, she said the meeting reflected a shared ambition for Ghana and the continent to build a digitally integrated financial future anchored on innovation, investment and impact.
“For Ghana, it signals our commitment to digital finance as a driver of economic transformation. For Africa, it presents an opportunity to strengthen cross-border systems that unlock growth,” she said.
The CEO explained that GhIPSS was established by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) in 2007 to lead the country’s payment systems transformation by developing interoperable infrastructure that connects players within the financial ecosystem while reducing the cost of digital financial services.
She said GhIPSS had successfully achieved its vision through platforms such as gh-link, Ghana’s instant payment system, mobile money interoperability services, cheque codeline clearing, and direct credit and debit systems.
According to her, all these platforms have contributed to a connected financial ecosystem that enables seamless transactions across institutions.
She added that GhIPSS had achieved these milestones through partnerships with industry players under the regulatory guidance of BoG, ensuring that the infrastructure continued to evolve to meet the needs of banks, fintechs and other service providers.
Mrs. Arthur also disclosed that GhIPSS was currently migrating Ghana’s national payments infrastructure to the ISO 20022 global messaging standard.
She described the move as a strategic repositioning for the future of payments.
“By adopting ISO 20022, Ghana’s payment systems will speak the same language as the world’s leading financial markets, enabling richer transaction data, faster settlement and seamless cross-border integration,” she stated.
She further reaffirmed GhIPSS’ commitment to working closely with regulators, financial institutions and fintechs to continue driving innovation and growth in the sector.
“When leadership is collaborative and partnerships are intentional, digital finance moves beyond systems and delivers real impact. It ensures that for every Ghanaian, like the woman in Makola Market, access to financial services is no longer a barrier, but a given,” the CEO added.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah