Water BOOST Enabling Innovation for Future Ready Cities 2025

Water-BOOST diagram for Accra FIGURE 11 Source: World Economic ForumDisclaimer note: The stakeholder gr oups and organizations listed in this diagram r epresent a sample of those engaged in this r esear ch. Their inclusion does not imply exclusivity , nor does it suggest that other actors within these gr oups ar e less r elevant or less active. Categorization is indicative and should not be interpr eted as fixed.Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) + Ghana Water Limited (GWL) + Water Resour ces Commission (WRC) G1 Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) + Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resour cesG2 Pure Home Water + Waterbits A1 A2 University of Ghana + CSIR – Water Resear ch Institute (WRI) S1 WaterAid + UNICEF + CONIW AS + Social Enterprise Ghana + Ghana Borehole Drillers Association S2A2 Missing stakeholder groupG2SE2 E3 E2G1 E5 A1A1 Weak stakeholder group SE1S1 S2E1 SE3E4 Missing enablers Missing enabler In Accra, aquapreneurship emerges as the system’s critical area, as it is the most fragile layer within the ecosystem. While enterprises such as Pure Home Water and Waterbits are developing promising household treatment and AI-powered water-quality technologies, the absence of a clear investor and accelerator base leaves aquapreneurship enablers (E3) underpowered. This is compounded by weak links to governance (E2, E4), which constrain integration into procurement, policy or utility pathways. Although multistakeholder collaboration (E5) is relatively strong, driven by active NGOs and research institutions, it is not yet sufficient to offset the lack of financial and institutional support. As a result, innovators face systemic barriers to scaling, leaving the ecosystem vulnerable to innovation bottlenecks despite international partnerships and recognition. Supporting stakeholders play a growing and influential role. Academic institutions such as the University of Ghana and Council for Scientific and Industrial (CSIR)–Water Research Institute provide applied research, data analysis and technical support. They are joined by a diverse set of civil society actors – including WaterAid, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), Social Enterprise Ghana and the Ghana Borehole Drillers Association – which play key roles in piloting, convening and advocacy. These groups are central to enabling functions such as community mobilization, capacity-building and cross-sector learning (SE2, SE3). Across all stakeholder groups, one shared concern is the rising threat of illegal small-scale mining activities – known locally as galamsey – which severely degrade river systems and compromise water quality. These practices increase the operational burden on utilities such as GWL, reduce the lifespan of treatment infrastructure and undermine public trust in water safety. Despite public outcry and national task forces, enforcement remains limited, pointing to the need for cross- sector solutions that combine policy, technology and community monitoring mechanisms. To strengthen Accra’s enabling environment, priority should be given to unlocking financing mechanisms for early-stage solutions, creating structured platforms for public-innovation partnerships and embedding NGOs and research institutions as formal partners in scaling community-based innovation. Water-BOOST: Enabling Innovation for Future-Ready Cities 28