In recent years, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has championed the digital transformation agenda in Ghana, positioning it as a solution to streamline government services, improve transparency, and enhance economic growth. The enthusiasm surrounding this digitalization push, however, belies the reality on the ground: Ghana still faces significant infrastructural deficits that severely hinder the potential benefits of digitalization. Attempting to build a high-tech society without first establishing the necessary foundational infrastructure is like constructing a house without a solid foundation. Moreover, the struggles of the government’s flagship Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy serve as a poignant example of how grand initiatives can falter when foundational challenges are ignored.

While digitalization is undoubtedly essential in the modern world, Ghana’s current infrastructure struggles to support even basic technological needs. Access to electricity, reliable internet, and adequate telecommunications infrastructure remains uneven, particularly in rural and underserved areas. A significant proportion of Ghanaians still lack regular access to electricity, and power outages remain frequent. In fact, Ghana ranked 115th out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Network Readiness Index in recent years, highlighting the systemic issues in digital readiness. Internet connectivity remains a luxury rather than a utility in many parts of the country. According to the World Bank, Ghana’s internet penetration rate was around 50% in recent years. This limited access is due not only to a lack of infrastructure but also to the high costs associated with internet services. For digitalization to become a truly transformative force, citizens need affordable, widespread internet access—a requirement that is still far from being met.

One of the glaring issues with Dr. Bawumia’s digitalization push is that it disproportionately benefits urban areas while leaving rural communities behind. In Accra, Kumasi, and other major cities, internet connectivity and mobile phone access are relatively high. But in rural areas, many citizens still lack access to basic telecommunications, let alone the ability to use digital services. This urban-rural divide is a persistent issue that the government’s digitalization agenda has yet to address meaningfully. As a result, digitalization becomes more of an elitist program than an inclusive one. By investing in digitalization without first closing this gap, Ghana risks creating a “two-speed” society, where urban citizens enjoy the benefits of technology while rural communities remain isolated and underdeveloped. Without substantial investment in bridging this divide, the current digitalization drive will deepen inequality rather than promote equitable development.

The Free SHS policy was launched with great fanfare and the promise of making secondary education accessible to all Ghanaian students. However, the reality has been fraught with challenges stemming from a lack of proper infrastructure, resources, and planning. Class sizes ballooned, school facilities deteriorated, and many students have been left without adequate learning resources. Rather than achieving a holistic improvement in Ghana’s education system, Free SHS has, in many cases, exacerbated existing issues. This policy serves as a cautionary tale for digitalization in Ghana. Like Free SHS, digitalization without the necessary infrastructure and resources risks creating more harm than good. Schools, hospitals, and other public institutions that are supposed to benefit from digitalization are already struggling with resource shortages and insufficient funding. Adding a digital layer to these systems without addressing their underlying deficiencies will likely overwhelm them, causing delays, inefficiencies, and frustration among citizens.

Even as digitalization progresses, Ghana must recognize the importance of digital literacy to enable citizens to utilize digital services effectively. For many Ghanaians, especially those in rural areas or older generations, technology remains intimidating and unfamiliar. Without a concerted effort to educate the public about digital tools and services, digitalization will exclude rather than include many citizens. Digital literacy programs are essential for enabling the entire population to participate in Ghana’s digital future. Yet, there has been little evidence of a coordinated, well-funded initiative to promote digital skills across the country. Dr. Bawumia’s digitalization drive appears to overlook this critical element, focusing more on the technical infrastructure than on the human capital needed to use and benefit from it.

Rather than focusing on high-tech solutions, Ghana’s government should prioritize basic infrastructure and services that can support digitalization in the long run. Power, connectivity, and education systems are the essential building blocks of a digital society. If the government invested in expanding and stabilizing the power grid, improving internet access nationwide, and enhancing digital literacy through education, Ghana would be much better positioned to implement and sustain digital initiatives. Dr. Bawumia’s approach seems to put the cart before the horse, emphasizing ambitious digital programs while sidestepping the basic infrastructure necessary to support them. Digitalization should be viewed as a natural progression of a well-developed society, not a shortcut to one. Without focusing on these basics, digitalization risks becoming another lofty goal that remains out of reach for most Ghanaians.

Ghana’s digital future is a worthy goal, but it must be pursued thoughtfully and realistically. The Free SHS program demonstrated the risks of launching ambitious policies without sufficient planning and infrastructure. If the government is to avoid similar pitfalls with digitalization, it must focus on addressing the infrastructure and access challenges that millions of Ghanaians face. Digitalization should be inclusive, accessible, and beneficial to all citizens, not just those in urban centres who can afford internet access.

For digitalization to be meaningful, it must be built on a foundation of reliable infrastructure, affordable connectivity, and widespread digital literacy. Without these elements, Dr. Bawumia’s digitalization drive is more a political slogan than a viable strategy. The focus should be on empowering all Ghanaians with the tools and resources they need to participate fully in a digital economy. Only then will Ghana’s digital transformation be a genuine success rather than an unfulfilled promise.

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The author is a UK-based academic and transport consultant who serves as the NDC’s Foreign Relations Director for the Savannah Region.