The Bank of Ghana (BoG) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have launched the National Virtual Asset Literacy Initiative (NaVALI), a nationwide programme designed to deepen public understanding of virtual assets and promote their safe, responsible and regulated use within Ghana’s financial system.
The initiative, code-named NaVALI, marks what the Governor described as a deliberate and forward-looking effort to balance financial innovation with consumer protection, regulatory clarity and systemic stability in Ghana’s rapidly evolving digital finance landscape.
Governor of BoG, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, said the launch follows the recent enactment of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, a major milestone in the country’s financial sector development.
Under the Act, the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been designated as the primary regulators overseeing virtual asset activities in Ghana.
He explained that both institutions are currently focused on putting in place the necessary structures, systems and operational processes to ensure the timely and orderly implementation of the law, particularly to close regulatory gaps and address emerging risks associated with virtual assets.
However, the Governor stressed that regulation and enforcement alone are not sufficient to ensure a safe and sustainable virtual asset ecosystem.
“At BoG, we acknowledge that effective regulation and enforcement cannot be achieved by regulators alone,” Dr. Asiama said, noting that the entire ecosystem must be adequately prepared through a sound understanding of virtual asset activities, their implications and associated risks.
According to him, this makes public education, consumer protection and regulatory preparedness urgent national priorities. NaVALI, he explained, has been specifically designed to respond to this need by placing knowledge and awareness at the centre of Ghana’s digital finance strategy.
The initiative is anchored on a simple but critical principle: “understand before you undertake.”
By promoting virtual asset literacy, NaVALI aims to ensure that individuals, institutions and market participants are equipped to make informed decisions and avoid risky or uninformed adoption of digital assets.
Dr. Asiama said NaVALI is a structured programme led by the Bank of Ghana in close collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with support from key knowledge partners in academia and industry.
The initiative is guided by two core policy objectives.
The first is to strengthen institutional capacity on virtual assets and enabling technologies, particularly blockchain, to support effective regulation, supervision and policy formulation.
The second is to promote nationwide awareness of the risks, implications and limitations of virtual assets, with the aim of discouraging speculative behaviour and protecting consumers from potential losses.
He noted that as digital financial products grow in popularity, gaps in understanding could expose individuals and the broader financial system to risks such as fraud, market abuse and financial instability.
NaVALI is therefore intended to serve as a preventive tool, empowering the public with accurate information while helping regulators keep pace with innovation.
Formally launching the initiative, Dr. Asiama described NaVALI as a foundational step in Ghana’s journey towards a safe and inclusive digital economy.
He commended the Virtual Asset Regulatory Office, partner institutions and all stakeholders who contributed to the development of the programme, emphasising that its success would depend on sustained collaboration among regulators, industry players, educators, civil society organisations and the media.
Dr. Asiama also appealed directly to the Ghanaian public to actively engage with the initiative.
“Participate, learn, ask questions and engage responsibly,” he urged, adding that financial innovation can only support national development when it is anchored in knowledge, trust and accountability.
He stressed that the launch of NaVALI should be seen not as an end, but as the beginning of a continuous process of education, engagement and regulatory evolution, aimed at building a secure, inclusive and resilient digital financial future for Ghana.
