E-zwich services: Rethinking relevance in Ghana’s digital economy

Sitting on a wooden bench outside her makeshift house in a small village near Koforidua, 68-year-old Abena Mensah, a LEAP beneficiary, pulls out her e-Zwich card from a cloth purse.

For nearly a decade, this card has been her lifeline, giving her access to her monthly pension without the need to travel to a distant bank.

“This card has made things easier for me,” she says. “But sometimes, the system doesn’t work, and I must wait for days to get my money. I hear others talk about mobile money, but I don’t know how to use it.”

Abena’s story mirrors that of thousands of Ghanaians who depend on e-Zwich for financial access.

Launched in 2008, the biometric payment system was designed to bring the unbanked into the formal financial system.

It became a trusted tool for beneficiaries of the students receiving allowances, cocoa farmers, and recipients of government social intervention programs.

Yet, in a fast-changing digital economy dominated by mobile money platforms, e-Zwich risks becoming obsolete.

A Legacy of Financial Inclusion

e-Zwich was introduced as a solution to financial exclusion, particularly for those without access to traditional banking. The biometric feature allowed people like Abena, who lacked conventional identification documents, to access financial services securely. Over the years, the platform became popular for disbursing government funds, scholarship allowances, and pensions.

The system was a game changer for students like Kofi Ansah, who relied on e-Zwich to receive his allowances in senior high school. “It was reliable, and I could use it to withdraw my allowances anywhere,” he recalls. This reliability made e-Zwich a cornerstone of financial inclusion, enabling people to access their funds without hurdles.

Challenges in a Changing Landscape

The rise of mobile money services—offered by telecom giants MTN, Vodafone now Telecel, and AirtelTigo now AT—has dramatically reshaped Ghana’s financial ecosystem.
Unlike e-Zwich, mobile money allows users to perform transactions, pay bills, and even access microloans using just a mobile phone. Its ease of use, widespread agent network, and faster transaction speeds have made it the preferred choice for millions of Ghanaians.

In contrast, e-Zwich requires physical cards and relies on point-of-sale devices operated by agents. This dependency often leads to delays, especially in rural areas where devices may be faulty or unavailable.
For a section of former national service personnel e-Zwich is simply not practical.
“It’s slow, and not many customers use it. Mobile money is faster and easier.”

Merchant acceptance of e-Zwich has also been a major hurdle.

Many businesses view it as cumbersome, opting instead for mobile money, which is more flexible and better integrated into their operations.

Opportunities for Modernization

Despite its challenges, e-Zwich has untapped potential to thrive in Ghana’s evolving digital economy—if it adapts. Professor Haruna Issahaku, an associate professor at the Department of finance at the University of Development Studies, explained in a research publication that e-Zwich’s original mission of serving the unbanked remains critical.

“Renewed efforts to target rural areas, collaborate with government programs, and educate users on its benefits could bolster adoption rates.”

Clement Anane, an IT expert, also believes that by linking e-Zwich to mobile wallets, users could enjoy the best of both worlds: the security of biometric authentication and the convenience of mobile money’s extensive agent network.

“Seamless transfers between e-Zwich and mobile money accounts could make the platform more appealing.”

Most of the users I engaged who no longer use the card collectively wished that addressing delays and improving the reliability of point-of-sale devices is crucial.
For some, GhIPSS could also introduce a mobile app for e-Zwich, making it more user-friendly and accessible to tech-savvy customers.

With rising concerns about fraud in mobile money, e-Zwich’s biometric authentication offers a unique selling point.
Positioning it as a secure alternative for high-value or high-risk transactions could help it regain market share.

A Path Forward

For e-Zwich to stay relevant, it must evolve alongside Ghana’s digital transformation. This will require strategic investments, innovative partnerships, and a renewed commitment to user-centric design.

Professor Haruna Issahaku notes that e-Zwich’s potential to complement Ghana’s broader digital public infrastructure should not be overlooked.
“With the right innovations, e-Zwich can play a crucial role in delivering financial inclusion and supporting government programs. But it needs to adapt to the changing needs of users and integrate with the larger financial ecosystem,” he says.

Abena Mensah, the LEAP beneficiary, however, only wants one thing: convenience. “If they can make it faster and easier to use, I’ll keep using it.”

The question is whether Ghana is ready to invest in e-Zwich’s transformation—and whether the platform can adapt quickly enough to meet the demands of a digital-first future.

The answer will determine whether e-Zwich remains a lifeline or becomes a relic of the past.

This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.

Caleb Ahinakwah
The writer is a senior broadcast journalist at Asaase Radio and a DPI Fellow with the Media Foundation for West Africa.

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