ECG PowerApp Training Targets Elderly Traders in Ghana

In Short

ECG is rolling out a digital inclusion drive for elderly market women and petty traders.

The goal is to help them use a mobile app to check electricity bills and access self-service options.

What Happened

The Electricity Company of Ghana has started a training effort focused on older traders in markets.

The programme is centered on the ECG PowerApp, an app that lets customers view their electricity bills and manage some account services without visiting an ECG office.

Digital inclusion means helping people who are often left out of online services to still use them, usually through training, simpler tools, and in-person support. For many petty traders, barriers include low smartphone confidence, limited literacy, and fear of making mistakes that could affect payments.

By teaching these users how to navigate the app, ECG is trying to reduce reliance on paper bills and manual customer service queues. It is also pushing more customers toward self-service, which can lower operational pressure on call centres and service points.

Why It Matters

Utilities across Africa are moving customer support to digital channels, but adoption can stall when key customer groups are not confident using apps. This is especially true for older customers who may use feature phones, share devices, or depend on family members to check bills.

If ECG can raise PowerApp usage among market traders, it could improve bill visibility and reduce disputes about charges. Clearer billing access can also support better payment behaviour because customers can confirm what they owe before paying.

The wider test is whether these trainings translate into regular app use after the sessions end. ECG will likely need ongoing support in markets, local language guidance, and simple troubleshooting to keep adoption from dropping off.