At Joy News’ Digital Economy Forum on AI and the Ghana Economy, Bright Simons, Vice‑President of research at the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, urged the government to eliminate licensing requirements that he says block ordinary Ghanaians from earning a living through digital platforms.
Simons warned that poorly designed licensing could obstruct opportunities in the digital economy, citing ride‑hailing, food delivery and online content creation as examples of activities people learn without extensive formal training. “When you look at Uber and all the ride‑sharing apps and all the e‑commerce apps, a lot of the people that have benefited are ordinary people,” he said.
He noted how users have learned to navigate mapping services, locate customers and deliver food, arguing that policy must focus on removing obstacles to work. “I’m a big believer in the fact that when it comes to those kinds of things, typically the government is an impediment rather than an enabler,” Simons said.
Simons recalled resisting proposals to impose licensing requirements and local government obligations on ride‑hailing services, including Uber and Bolt, and cited the public reaction to proposed licences for developers in Ghana. He warned against introducing requirements without carefully considering their effects, adding, “So we have to think about policy as also to include the things that remove barriers and bottlenecks for ordinary people.”
For Simons, the ability of ordinary people to acquire useful digital skills is already visible in everyday life. He pointed to WhatsApp users and YouTube creators as examples. “Who builds schools to teach people how to use WhatsApp? Who builds schools to teach influencers how to do YouTube influencing?” he asked. He said some content creators had achieved significant recognition through skills developed outside formal training programmes.
His argument placed the practical effects of regulation at the centre of the discussion. He maintained that supporting ordinary people also meant identifying the restrictions standing in their way. “Often they are impediments and bottlenecks in their way, and people like us who point them out should not be seen as discussing theory. It’s very practical,” Simons said.
The next step for the government will be to review current licensing frameworks and engage with stakeholders to ensure that digital work remains accessible and inclusive for all Ghanaians.
