The Ghanaian government has an ambitious digital policy aimed at making the country a leading digital economy in Africa. One of the key projects under this policy is the Digital Acceleration Project, which aims to increase access to internet services and digital skills for millions of people. However, the project faces a significant challenge in the form of the digital gender gap.

Currently, women in Ghana earn significantly less than men and have limited access to resources like smartphones, hindering their participation in the digital economy. A United Nations report revealed that only about 60% of Ghanaian women own smartphones, compared to 72% of men. The cost of smartphones, coupled with inadequate literacy and digital skills, further exacerbates the gender gap.

Women in the informal sector, who make up a significant portion of the workforce, are often left out of digital literacy initiatives that mostly target the formal sector. To address this, training programs should be scaled across the country, specifically targeting women in the informal economy. Initiatives like the ICT Skills for Entrepreneurial Women Empowerment have shown promise in improving digital literacy among women, but device ownership remains a challenge.

Financial inclusion is another crucial aspect that can help narrow the digital gender gap. While Ghana has made progress in promoting financial inclusion, it has not fully extended to women. Empowering women with financial resources can enable them to participate more fully in the digital economy and expand their businesses.

Addressing the contributing factors behind the gender gap is essential for driving large-scale adoption of e-government services. As the digital gender gap decreases, Ghana's digital economy policy will have significant benefits for women, leading to greater economic empowerment and participation in the country's digital transformation.

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