Ghana’s tech story isn’t just start-ups and 5G rollouts—it’s the daily stack people use to move, pay, sell, learn, worship, and work. This master guide maps the essentials (money, movement, connectivity, safety) with free, printable toolkits you can use today.
1) Money: From MoMo to “Everything Payments”
Mobile money sits at the center of Ghana’s digital life—top-ups, bills, QR at shops, airtime, transfers, even small business collections.
What to do now
- Offer three ways to pay: MTN MoMo / Vodafone Cash / AirtelTigo Money. Add card for corporate customers.
- Use merchant rails (QR/USSD), not P2P for lower fees and cleaner bookkeeping.
- Publish fees and refunds on a one-pager or WhatsApp Business profile.
- Reconcile weekly—MoMo → sheet → bank.
Download: Mobile Money & Payment Fees — Quick Reference (Ghana) (A4)
Get the PDF
2) Connectivity & Power: Plan for the Last Mile
Data costs and power interruptions shape tech adoption more than any feature list.
Playbook
- Primary + backup internet: Fibre where possible; otherwise 4G/5G + a second SIM or portable router.
- Keep the lights on: Small UPS for router & phone chargers (30–60 mins). For longer outages, power bank/solar.
- Download smart: Queue big updates overnight; auto-download offline maps and critical docs.
Download: Connectivity & Power Continuity — Quick Checklist (Ghana) (A4)
Get the PDF
3) Movement: Logistics, Ride-Hailing & Delivery
Urban commerce runs on quick movement—riders, van couriers, and national carriers.
What works
- Pick one primary courier and one backup. Share coverage + fees + cutoff times publicly.
- Use ride-hail delivery for urgent, same-day drops.
- Track delivery time, cost per order, and refund/return rate weekly.
Download: Delivery & Logistics Vendor Tracker (CSV)
Get the sheet
4) Devices & Data: Affordable, Durable, Backed-Up
The winning combo for most teams is affordable Android + good battery + replaceable parts—and a habit of backing up.
Do this today
- Weekly phone & laptop backups.
- Keep a spare Android ready as hotspot + recovery device.
- Standardise on one brand/model per team for easy repairs.
Download: Data Bundle Planner (CSV)
Get the sheet
5) Social Commerce: WhatsApp → Order → Payment → Dispatch
So much of Ghana’s commerce happens in DMs and groups. Make it tidy and repeatable.
Simple flow
- DM → Order form (Google Forms) → auto-sheet
- Payment via MoMo/QR
- Dispatch with preferred courier
- Receipt + review request the next day
Download: Social Commerce Starter Kit — Ghana (A4)
Get the PDF
6) AI, But Practical
Skip the buzzwords—use AI where it saves time and data.
- Customer replies & summaries in WhatsApp Web/email.
- Translating promos (EN ↔ Twi/Ga/Ewe) with human review.
- Route notes for drivers; inventory summaries from sheets.
- On-device tools for privacy; cloud when you need collaboration.
Tip: Start with one task (e.g., draft replies), measure minutes saved per week, then expand.
7) Cyber Safety: Fraud Moves Fast—So Should You
Fraud patterns target MoMo, invoices, OTPs, and “urgent” changes in payment details.
Non-negotiables
- Never share OTPs. Verify payment changes by voice call.
- Role-based access to shared docs; no shared logins.
- Incident micro-playbook: who to call, what to freeze, how to notify.
Download: Cyber Fraud Red Flags (Ghana SMEs) (print 2× A5 per A4)
Get the PDF
8) SME Quick Start: Do This in 1 Hour
- Create a price list in Google Sheets (share view-only link).
- Enable merchant QR/USSD; add to your WhatsApp Business profile.
- Choose a primary courier + backup; publish fees/cutoffs.
- Set weekly backup reminders (phone + laptop).
- Add a fraud red-flags card near the till or desk.
Download: Ghana SME Digital Playbook — Quick Start (A4)
Get the PDF
9) For Churches, NGOs & Schools
Data stewardship and safe communications matter as much as speed.
- Use role-based access for staff/leaders.
- Track consent & suppression across all comms.
- Maintain audit logs & retention for sensitive records.
See also: Data Protection Sunday Kit (checklist, notes, slides, action cards).
- Checklist (A4): Download
- Sermon notes (A4): Download
- 5-slide deck (A4 landscape): Download
- Action card (A5 front): Download • (A5 back): Download
- Comms templates (A4): Download
- Data request form (A4): Download
10) Put It All Together (Your 4-Week Plan)
Week 1 — Payments & Comms
- Switch to merchant MoMo/QR; publish how to pay.
- Set saved replies for delivery, returns, and support hours.
Week 2 — Delivery & Data
- Lock primary + backup delivery partners.
- Start weekly backups and export contact clean-ups.
Week 3 — Safety
- Print the fraud red-flags card.
- Add roles to files and business apps; remove shared logins.
Week 4 — Review & Grow
- Measure delivery time, refund rate, payment failures.
- Test advance booking or referral promos.
Free Toolkits (all in one place)
- SME Digital Playbook
- Mobile Money & Fees
- Delivery Vendor Tracker
- Data Bundle Planner
- Social Commerce Starter Kit
- Connectivity Checklist
- Cyber Fraud Red Flags
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