By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, Sept. 19, GNA – Ms Angela Akua Asante, Ghana Country Lead of the African Media Agency (AMA), has called for stronger strategic communication between Anglophone and Francophone African countries to unlock the continent’s trade and digital finance potential.
She said although Africa was making progress in financial technology, mobile money interoperability and cross-border payment systems, communication and information gaps continued to hinder deeper regional integration.
Speaking at the Digital Assets Summit Africa (DASA) 2026 in Accra, organised by ProMark Elite Limited, Ms Asante said while infrastructure for cross-border transactions was expanding, African businesses and innovators still struggled to access market information, regulatory guidance and investment opportunities across neighbouring countries.
She cited data indicating that intra-African trade accounted for only 15 to 18 per cent of the continent’s total trade, compared with significantly higher levels in Europe, Asia and North America.
Ms Asante said limited information on market opportunities, complex trade regulations and restricted access to finance remained major barriers to regional trade growth.
She observed that Ghana, despite being surrounded by French-speaking countries, often operated within an Anglophone business ecosystem, resulting in missed opportunities for collaboration and expansion across West Africa.
She said strategic communication could bridge linguistic, cultural and regulatory divides, enabling businesses, investors and policymakers to engage more effectively across borders.
The AMA Country Lead urged regulators to strengthen bilingual communication of major policy and regulatory frameworks to promote regional cooperation and enhance investor confidence.
She also encouraged fintech companies and startups to incorporate Francophone markets into their growth strategies and communication plans from the outset.
Ms Asante said AMA, through its media platforms and capacity-building programmes, was working to promote greater understanding between Anglophone and Francophone Africa, including training journalists in emerging sectors such as fintech, digital assets and financial regulation.
She reiterated the agency’s commitment to supporting governments, businesses, and institutions to communicate effectively and expand across linguistic markets on the continent.
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
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