Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang urged African financial market stakeholders on Monday to place human empowerment at the centre of efforts to build resilient and inclusive markets, speaking at the close of the 2026 ACI World Congress in Accra.
The two-day congress, organised by ACI Ghana, the local chapter of ACI: The Financial Markets Association, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana, convened central bank governors, financial market professionals, policymakers and industry leaders from more than 60 countries. Deliberations focused on strengthening Africa’s financial architecture and deepening international engagement, held under the theme: “Elevating Markets, Empowering People.”
Prof Opoku-Agyemang told delegates that sustainable market growth depended on empowering the people who built, regulated and participated in the financial ecosystem. She argued that market systems ultimately reflected the decisions and conduct of individuals, making the human element inseparable from integrity and long-term sustainability across the financial value chain.
“True market resilience requires deep trust, unflinching ethics, and the backing of robust institutions,” she said.
The Vice President described Africa’s youthful population, expanding urban centres, growing digital adoption and entrepreneurial drive as strategic assets that demanded sustained investment, particularly in skills development for young people. She called on African economies to build markets grounded in trust and strong institutions amid global pressures including inflation, sovereign debt distress, geopolitical tensions, climate risks and technological disruption.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang also encouraged financial sector stakeholders to integrate artificial intelligence into their operations while preserving human accountability in increasingly automated systems. She said Ghana was investing in data governance, cyber resilience, local skills development and ethical frameworks to ensure smaller institutions and emerging markets were not left behind in the digital transition.
Maame Adjoa Thompson, Vice President of ACI Ghana, underscored the role of education and training in producing technically competent and ethically grounded financial market professionals. She said ACI Ghana would translate congress insights into practical initiatives tailored to Africa’s financial markets through targeted partnerships and actionable solutions.
