Communications Minister to Open Second Ghana eCommerce Expo

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications will on Tuesday, November 10 open the second Ghana eCommerce Expo on the theme ““Unleashing Ghana’s Online Potential”.

The two-day event is the largest gathering of companies and professionals from electronic commerce websites, Telecommunications, Banks, Internet service providers, Software Designers, solution providers in the mobile commerce and e-banking among others.

A statement issued in Accra by Mr Paul Asinor, the Event and New Media Director, OML Africa, organizers of the Expo, said the important event is as a result of the maiden event held in 2013.

He said this year, the event will provide a unique platform for over 30 exhibitors, 100 conference delegates and nearly 2,000 exhibition visitors to share knowledge, learn from leading experts and update themselves on the latest trends in ecommerce.

He said it was also to build new business contacts offline, showcase latest technologies as well as network with major players in Ghana’s fast growing online business market.

Mr Asinor said “The need for a high profile expo and conference, solely focusing on online trade is very timely, as the increased penetration of the internet and affordable telecommunications have opened a massive market of potential customers and buyers, which hitherto, might have been almost impossible to any modern business.”

He said the changing demands of the modern consumer with a tablet or mobile phone in hand could no longer be under estimated.

He said today’s business must therefore repackage itself to be relevant to the modern buyer, adding that, luckily, there has been a fast growing use and emergence of online payment platforms and mobile money solutions, which has gradually eliminated the use of cash and actually evolving Ghana into a cash-lite society, a key feature of ecommerce.

He said the second Ghana eCommerce Expo and conference was designed to help boost the growth of secure online trade, while the exhibition would be a display of the latest technologies and solutions in ecommerce, mobile commerce, cutting-edge software that were currently available in the country.

“Conference delegates will share knowledge and best practices through keynotes, roundtables, product presentations and speed networking sessions with experts and leaders in the industry,” he added.

Some of the notable speakers expected at the Ghana eCommerce conference include Haris Broumidis (CEO, Vodafone Ghana); Prince Kofi Kludjeson (Executive Chairman, Alltel); Harsh Sarda (MD, Nielsen, Africa Vertical Markets); Albert Biga (CEO, Zoobashop) and Derek Appiah (Country Manager, Microsoft).

Others are Sandra Kyerematen Abrokwa (Country Manager, Tonaton), Claire Staal (Country Manager, Jovago.com), Albert Antwi-Bosaiako, (CEO, eCrime Bureau) and Stephen Nana Osei-Boadi( Head, Digital Marketing, PZ Cussons)

The rest are Funlola Abe(Country Manager, Jumia Ghana); Saqib Nazir( CEO, Interpay); Agastee Khante (Country Manager, Ringier); Joseph Yaw Asumang( Country Manager, Oracle); Maximus Ametorgoh ( Founder, PopOut); Klenam Fiadzoe(Founder, Yougara); and Luis Ruano of Global Cloud Computing and many other reputable experts.

Delegates from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Germany and Spain are expected to attend.