The world of work is changing at an unprecedented pace. Increasingly, technology is connecting workers to customers through digital platforms, creating new opportunities for income generation while also raising important questions about worker protection and social security.
At the heart of this transformation is the platform economy—an emerging model in which economic activities are facilitated through digital platforms that connect service providers with customers, with the platforms serving as intermediaries rather than traditional employers.
According to research, nearly 5 million workers in Africa and the Middle East depend on emerging platforms in transportation, delivery, domestic services, IT and creative sectors for livelihoods, with projections of up to 23 million by 2025.
It is also estimated that Africa’s online labour market is growing at 25 per cent annually.
This is evident in countries such as Nigeria, where ride-hailing platforms such as Uber and Taxify expanded by 44 per cent within a year, providing income but lacking protections for over 300,000 drivers as of 2019.
In Ghana, the platform economy is experiencing similar growth with an estimated 100,000 workers, heavily concentrated in urban centres such as Accra and Kumasi.
Familiar examples include Uber drivers, dispatch riders, online tutors, freelance consultants, digital content creators, YouTube bloggers and social media influencers.
One question that becomes increasingly urgent is who will provide income security for these workers when they can no longer work?
The discussions at the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2026 placed this issue firmly on the global agenda.
Delegates considered international standards on decent work in the platform economy, including stronger protections relating to social security and other labour rights for platform workers.
The conference culminated in the adoption of Convention 193, intended to improve protection for workers in the platform economy, with Article 12 of the Convention highlighting the importance of extending Social Security to this rapidly growing workforce.
Ghana has made significant progress in pension reform through its 3-Tier Pension Scheme, which provides opportunities for both mandatory and voluntary retirement savings under the supervision of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).
Notably, the voluntary Third Tier is specifically designed to meet the retirement savings needs of workers in the informal economy.
As platform workers largely operate within the informal economy, the Third Tier presents a practical and accessible avenue for them to build retirement income security while enjoying the flexibility that characterises their work.
The same digital technologies that have transformed the way people work can also revolutionise how they save for retirement.
By harnessing digital platforms, Ghana can make pension participation simple, flexible, and accessible for platform workers.
A practical pension model for the platform economy could incorporate the following key features:
• Flexible Contributions: Allow workers to contribute amounts that reflect the irregular nature of their earnings, without fixed monthly obligations.
• Mobile Money Integration: Enable seamless pension contributions through mobile money and other digital payment channels, making saving convenient and accessible.
• Automated Micro-Savings: Introduce systems that automatically set aside small amounts from each payment or completed task into a pension account, helping workers build retirement savings effortlessly over time.
• Digital Account Management: Provide secure online and mobile platforms through which workers can register, monitor their pension balances, track contributions, and access pension-related services at any time.
A Call to Action
The country's labour and social protection framework must align with emerging global standards on platform work.
As part of this process, Ghana could explore the adoption of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 193 and incorporate its relevant provisions into the country's labour legislation to help strengthen the protection and social security of platform workers while supporting the sustainable growth of the digital economy.
Likewise, the 3-Tier Pension Scheme, growing digital ecosystem, expanding mobile money and financial infrastructure, and increasing digital literacy provide a solid foundation for innovative and flexible pension solutions tailored to the needs of platform workers.
Digital labour platforms, pension service providers, financial institutions, employers, workers' associations, and development partners must collaborate to leverage these opportunities and ensure that no worker is left behind in the evolving world of work.
The future of work must also be a future of protection.
As Ghana embraces digital transformation and the platform economy, we must ensure that innovation is matched by inclusive social protection policies that guarantee every worker the opportunity to build income security and dignity in retirement.
The writer is with the National Pensions Regulatory Authority
