Why Do Gaps Persist? A Qualitative Analysis of Government Digital Inclusion Policies and Entrepreneurial Realities in Ghana

The digital inclusion policies in Ghana such as the National Digitalisation Agenda aim to use technology to foster entrepreneurial growth. Yet, significant gaps exist between what policy intends and the reality at the grassroots level. This qualitative study focuses on implementation challenges faced by digital inclusion initiatives working with Ghanaian entrepreneurs, seeking to understand why well-articulated policies fail to realise equitable participation. Through in-depth interviews with 15 key stakeholders comprising entrepreneurs, policymakers, and digital intermediaries, the study reveals systemic barriers such as lack of infrastructure, gendered exclusion, urban-rural divide, and programme design neglect of informal sector realities. It could be seen from the findings that there is a fundamental mismatch between one-size-fits-all types of policy approaches, resulting in what is termed in this chapter as ‘phantom inclusion,’ which is a paper-based statistical increase concealing continued digital marginalisation. The study contributes to the literature on digital inclusion, highlighting the adverse impacts of socio-political dynamics, intersectional inequalities, and bureaucratic disconnects on policy implementation. The study posits the great need for bridging the void existing between the digital ambitions of Ghana and the realities of its entrepreneurial ecosystem in ETA for inclusive economic transformation.