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Ghanaian and Nigerian Central Bank Open Respective Regulatory Sandbox Application Processes
29.1.2023
The Ghanaian and Nigerian central banks have invited financial innovators that wish to be included in their respective regulatory sandboxes to submit applications. The Bank of Ghana said its sandbox will also support innovations that attempt to solve the financial exclusion challenge. Solving...
Ghanaian Cedi Second Worst-Performing Asset Among Sub-Saharan Africa’s Top 15 Currencies
24.1.2023
In just the first 17 days of the new year, the Ghanaian currency reportedly depreciated by 12.7%, making it the second worst-performing among Sub-Saharan Africa’s top 15 currencies. While one U.S. dollar bought 13.10 units of the cedi on the parallel market, according to the latest Bank...
Ghanaian Cedi Appreciates by More Than 30% in 4 Days — Currency Recovery Follows IMF Loan Announcement
18.12.2022
Just a few months after it became the world’s worst-performing currency, the Ghanaian cedi’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar bounced back from just over 14 units per dollar on Dec. 1, to 8 units for every dollar by Dec. 16, new data has shown. The currency’s resurgence...
Ghana Takes Steps to Operationalize Gold-for-Oil Scheme — Move Expected to Help Halt Cedi’s Depreciation
27.11.2022
According to directives issued by Samuel A. Jinapor, the Ghanaian minister for lands and natural resources, large-scale gold mining companies will be required to “sell 20% of all refined gold at their refineries to the Bank of Ghana.” A gold-for-oil scheme is part of the Ghanaian...
World’s Worst Performing Currency, the Cedi, Reverses Gains — Economist Steve Hanke Says Ghana Inflation Now Over 140%
10.11.2022
Just days after registering marginal gains against the U.S. dollar, the Ghanaian currency — the cedi — slipped to C14:$1 versus the U.S. dollar on the foreign exchange parallel market on Nov. 7. The cedi’s reversal is said to have dented the currency’s recovery prospects. On the other...
Displaying US Dollar Prices Still Prohibited, Ghanaian Central Bank Tells Actress Lydia Forson
5.11.2022
The Bank of Ghana recently warned businesses quoting U.S. dollar prices that the practice is still prohibited and that the cedi remains Ghana’s sole legal tender. The bank said it is working with law enforcement to “clamp down on illegal foreign exchange operations.” In addition...
Bank of Ghana to foster financial inclusion through CBDC project
28.9.2022
Kwame Oppong, an executive at Ghana’s central bank told Cointelegraph that a CBDC could give their citizens the opportunity to use a "decent form of payment."
Ghanaian Central Bank Allays Fears That a CBDC Will Disrupt Mobile Money Operations
4.9.2022
The Bank of Ghana has said the expected implementation of the central bank digital currency will not disrupt or negatively impact the operations of mobile money operators. Rather, the central bank expects the digital currency to improve the efficiency of Ghana’s settlement systems as well...
Ghana Central Bank Announces Launch of Regulatory Sandbox
24.8.2022
Ghana’s recently launched regulatory and innovation sandbox is the latest proof of the central bank’s commitment to a regulatory environment that promotes “innovation, financial inclusion and financial stability,” a statement released by the Bank of Ghana has said....
Latest Ghana Benchmark Rate Hike the Largest on Record — President Promises Action Against ‘Unacceptable Depreciation of the Cedi’
23.8.2022
After seeing Ghana’s inflation rate surge to 31.7% in July, the Bank of Ghana responded by hiking the benchmark interest rate by 300 basis points. In addition to the rate hike, the central bank said it will gradually raise banks’ primary reserve requirements. One expert has said...
Ghana Central Bank Reiterates Warning Against Practice of Pricing Goods in Forex
12.4.2022
The Bank of Ghana has warned businesses and the public against the practice of demanding or making payments in foreign currency without its authorization. The central bank’s warning comes just over a month after Ghana’s currency was rated the worst performing among Africa’s...
Ghana CBDC Development: New Central Bank Document Outlines Key Motivations for Issuing the Digital Currency
28.3.2022
In a recently released document, the Bank of Ghana (BOG) outlines some of its key reasons for developing the central bank digital currency (CBDC). Also, in the document, the bank’s governor insists the institution is open to suggestions that will help it to successfully launch the digital...
Tanzanian Central Bank Preparing for CBDC to Ensure Country Is Not Left Behind
28.11.2021
Florens Luoga, the governor of the Bank of Tanzania, said the apex bank has kickstarted preparations for a central bank digital currency. He said the bank was doing this to ensure Tanzania is not left behind as other countries adopt digital currencies. Keeping Abreast With Developments on...
Ghana Central Bank Working to Make CBDC Available to Offline Users
20.10.2021
The Ghanaian central bank is seeking to make its digital currency, the e-cedi, available to offline users, an official with the bank has said. Overcoming the Challenge of Limited Power According to Kwame Oppong, who heads fintech and innovation at the Bank of Ghana (BOG), the e-cedi is also...
Bank of Ghana Urged to Resist Developing a CBDC Based on ‘Old Traditional Siloed Financial Thinking’
17.8.2021
A Ghanaian blockchain and crypto association, Afroblocks, has warned the Bank of Ghana (BOG) to resist the urge to develop a central bank digital currency (CBDC) that is based on the “old traditional siloed financial thinking.” Afroblocks Not Consulted Afroblocks (formerly Blockchain...
Bank of Ghana Selects German Technology Firm as Partner for CBDC Project
13.8.2021
The Bank of Ghana (BOG) says it has signed an agreement with Giesecke Devrient (GD) to implement a pilot central bank digital currency (CBDC) project. This pilot CBDC, which is a precursor to the e-cedi digital currency, is set to be tested with banks, payment service providers, merchants...
Ghana Vice President Praises Central Bank’s CBDC Initiative, Says Digital Currencies Can Boost Intra-African Trade
30.7.2021
The Ghanaian Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, has implored African governments to start exploring digital currencies as such alternatives have the potential to enhance intra-African trade. In addition, such digital currencies allow African countries to carry out all cross-border payments smoothly...
Report: Nigeria to Start Piloting Digital Currency in October
24.7.2021
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reportedly set October 1 as the commencement date for the trial phase of its digital currency project. Dubbed project Giant, this digital currency project, or the “e-naira,” is expected to use the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain. CBDC Comes to Life...
Bank of Ghana Deputy Governor Says ‘Central Bank Digital Currency Is Fiat Money,’ Reveals Pilot Phase Will Start September
12.7.2021
Ghana’s proposed central bank digital currency is similar to fiat cash and therefore financial institutions, as well as fintech start-ups, can still create value based on it, a Bank of Ghana (BOG) official has said. Still, the official, Maxwell Opoku-Afari, the BOG’s deputy governor...
Bank of Ghana ‘in the Advanced Stages of Introducing a Digital Currency’— Governor Repeats Anti-Cryptocurrency Claims
4.6.2021
The governor of Ghana’s central bank, Ernest Addison, has said his institution is now “in the advanced stages of introducing a digital currency.” However, before its release into circulation, the digital currency—which is also known as the “e-cedi”— will...