Cedi @ 60 Conference Charts New Vision for a Stable, Digitally-Driven Ghanaian Currency
200 Ghana Cedis- Photo credit BoG
Accra, Ghana- Ghana’s national currency, the Cedi, entered a new era of policy commitment and institutional reform as policymakers, global experts, and financial leaders concluded the Cedi @ 60 International Currency Conference in Accra this week. What began as a commemoration of six decades of monetary independence quickly evolved into a national call to re-anchor the Cedi’s long-term stability through discipline, modernization, and shared responsibility.
The two-day conference attended by President John Dramani Mahama, international central bankers, digital finance experts, and leaders across the currency and payments ecosystem highlighted a central message: the future of the Cedi depends on stronger institutions, deeper digital integration, and a collective commitment to protecting its value.
Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, in a sweeping address that set the tone for the conference, underscored the currency’s symbolic and economic importance.
“Our currency carries history, meaning, and a sense of collective identity,” Dr. Asiama said.
“For sixty years, the Cedi has moved with our people… helping families plan, helping businesses grow. The next generation will relate to the Cedi in new ways, and their trust in our institutions will shape that relationship.”
The Governor warned that global uncertainty, digital disruption, and dollarization pressures demand stronger national alignment behind the Cedi’s stability. “Protecting the Cedi is not the task of any one institution,” he stressed.
“It is a shared endeavour rooted in our belief in Ghana’s future.”
Much of the conference’s discourse centered on safeguarding the credibility of the Cedi by reinforcing institutional independence, especially at the central bank and by curbing fiscal excesses.
President Mahama reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to full central bank independence, a signal experts say is critical for stabilizing inflation and shielding monetary policy from political cycles.
Dr. Asiama emphasized that the currency’s recent appreciation reported at more than 37 percent year-to-date was not accidental, but a product of disciplined management. “Strong stewardship and institutional stability must ensure the Cedi retains its value and relevance.” He further argued that monetary policy alone cannot sustain the gains: long-term confidence will depend on fiscal prudence, reduced government borrowing, and credible efforts to manage external vulnerabilities.
A defining theme of the conference was the e-Cedi, Ghana’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot, which experts described as vital for future-proofing national monetary sovereignty.
Dr. Asiama noted that as global financial systems become increasingly digitized, Ghana must ensure its currency remains competitive and secure. “These shifts require a thoughtful approach to how the physical and digital dimensions of money will evolve together,” he said. “Cash continues to play an essential role, while digital channels expand convenience and reach.”
Discussions also touched on the importance of protecting the physical Cedi, including new anti-counterfeiting measures and stronger public education to reinforce the Cedi as Ghana’s default unit of trade.
Speakers urged Ghanaians to stop denominating local transactions in U.S. dollars a trend that undermines currency sovereignty and increases exposure to exchange-rate shocks.
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