[{"bbox": [96, 151, 1164, 259], "category": "Text", "text": "Outsourcing (BPO) services are put in the focus of public discussions and sector support initiatives. Access to markets has also been identified as one of the key challenges for green products and services of Ghanaian entrepreneurs. Hence, the use of digital technologies in product development and commercialisation (i.e. e-commerce) needs to be better integrated and promoted in all supported sectors."}, {"bbox": [96, 258, 1164, 364], "category": "Text", "text": "In recent years, the number of intermediate structures to support digital entrepreneurship (innovation hubs, excellence hubs and incubators) has steadily increased across the country. Still, entrepreneurship support organisations are of mixed quality and many are unable to adequately support businesses passed start-up stage through to growth and maturity."}, {"bbox": [96, 389, 1164, 576], "category": "Text", "text": "**Skills mismatch and manual methods for business functions:** The delivery of high quality and standardized green and digital products and services to local and international markets is a challenge for most Ghanaian companies. Most firms still rely on manual methods to conduct many business functions (e.g. finance, accounting, and human resources), marketing is still predominantly conducted face-to-face, and cash remains the most common payment method. Private sector development requires a new set of skills to keep up with the high demand for digitally skilled professionals to drive growth. Global employers consider digital skills to be among the top seven skills required for the future workforce, and Ghanaian employers attach even greater importance to it¹³."}, {"bbox": [96, 576, 1164, 973], "category": "Text", "text": "This is an opportunity for young women as well. The gap between supply and demand is identified for all these skills around the world, and the gap is even more pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana¹⁴. Moreover, although at the global level the most in-demand digital skills are at the basic level, the needs of the market in Ghana are also at an intermediate and advanced level, especially in sectors with high potential such as greentech. The Ghana digital skills survey conducted by the IFC in 2018 showed that about 20% of Ghanaian companies across the ICT, health, green sectors said they recruit only internationally for jobs that demand digital skills, mostly because they cannot find people locally with the right skills. Only a few Ghanaians have the requisite digital skills experience beyond the basic use of a computer or tablet. Ghana alone will offer 9 million digital jobs and nearly $4 billion in revenue potential through 2030. Numerous sources are confident there is substantial scope for continued demand for digital skills in the labour force. Nine million jobs requiring digital skills in 2030 will translate to nearly 20 million training opportunities¹⁵. Skills in Artificial Intelligence, data engineering and management, cloud management, cybersecurity etc. will be essential to support the development of digital economy without having to depend mainly on external labour. Same can be said about green skills. Ghana will need to drive technological transformation through the adoption of digital and green technologies in domestic, and other type of firms, but the supply of skills required for such transformation is a challenge."}, {"bbox": [96, 998, 1164, 1213], "category": "Text", "text": "**Undersupply of green (environmentally non-harmful) and circular business:** in Ghana, doing business has still a long way to go until it will be non-harmful to the climate and circular approaches become common. Waste disposal is a massive issue in the country, which suffers from widespread plastic pollution. Moreover, plastic shopping bags remain omnipresent and the roadside traders pack even the smallest items in (black) plastic bags which often end up littering waterways, ocean and beaches. There is no proper system for rubbish segregation nor disposal. Recycling initiatives are only recently making a timid appearance. Non-clean cooking methods (coal and wood) are often used, especially by the poorer parts of society. These societal practices are unsustainable, often unhealthy, and require a change if Ghana wishes to contribute to combating climate change."}, {"bbox": [96, 1237, 1164, 1530], "category": "Text", "text": "**Specific challenges in the Creative and Heritage industries:** The creative and heritage industries in Ghana suffer from a significant lack of resources and investment. Limited access to finance constrains the possibilities for expansion and growth of these industries, including the very basic needs down to adequate professional equipment and spaces for creative/artistic production and exhibition. In the creative industries, artists are also limited in their opportunities for professionalization, with little avenues for skills development and the absence of formal education in many creative fields (e.g. animation, DJ'ing, fashion). Skills and training are therefore acquired in informal settings, further restraining possibilities to attract serious investors and access financial resources. Funding and visibility opportunities are often limited to one-off events rather than sustainable in nature, further hampering the ability of creatives to grow their businesses and expand their audience, including at international level. While the music industry is an exception in this regard, Ghanaian musicians often turn to international record labels due to lack of development and opportunities at domestic level. This implies the need to support businesses and entrepreneurs across the creative"}, {"bbox": [86, 1567, 678, 1589], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹³ Ghana Digital Economy Diagnostic, Stocktaking Report, the World Bank, 2019, p. 85;"}, {"bbox": [86, 1588, 141, 1607], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁴ Idem;"}, {"bbox": [86, 1607, 505, 1628], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁵ IFC Digital skills in Sub-saharan Africa: Spotlight on Ghana"}, {"bbox": [1027, 1680, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 12 of 30"}]