The Cyber Security Authority (CSA), together with key public and private-sector partners, has launched the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), calling for stronger collaboration to secure Ghana’s rapidly expanding digital finance ecosystem. The month-long campaign, running from October 1 to 31, 2026, is being held under the theme ‘Securing Ghana’s Digital Finance Ecosystem: Building Trust Through Collaboration and Cyber Resilience’.
The launch at CalBank’s head office auditorium in Accra marked a renewed commitment by regulators, law enforcement, financial institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen cybersecurity, combat cyber-enabled fraud and build public confidence in digital financial services. The partners also emphasised the need to move cybersecurity beyond a compliance requirement and make it a shared governance, business and national resilience priority.
Speaking at the event, CSA Director-General, Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, said the theme reflects the growing cyber risks accompanying the rapid expansion of digital financial services. Citing the BoG’s 2025 Fraud Report, Mr. Agbeti said fraud cases recorded across banks, specialised deposit-taking institutions and payment service providers increased by 48 percent, from 16,733 in 2024 to 24,778 in 2025. Electronic fraud incidents in the payment service provider segment also rose by 54 percent.
The CSA recorded 3,876 cybersecurity incidents between January and July 2026, with online fraud accounting for approximately 47 percent. “Cybersecurity cannot remain a compliance exercise done solely for the regulator, a technology project dedicated solely to the IT department, or an expense deferred until after an incident. It is a duty owed to every customer whose money and data you hold,” Mr. Agbeti said.
He urged banks, fintechs, payment service providers, insurers and merchants to procure cybersecurity services only from providers licensed or accredited by the CSA, in line with Ghana’s cybersecurity regulatory framework. “The Authority will exercise the powers available to it when institutions or service providers disregard applicable cybersecurity obligations and put the public at risk,” he cautioned.
Director-General of the CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, highlighted recent law-enforcement successes in tackling cybercrime, including a joint CID and CSA operation in the Tema area that resulted in 39 arrests. She also cited a joint Interpol-coordinated operation that led to 68 arrests, the seizure of 835 devices, the identification of 108 victims and the tracing of more than US$450,000 in losses. “Cybercrime may be borderless, but criminals are not beyond reach,” she said, while urging the public and institutions to report incidents promptly, preserve evidence and strengthen cross-border cooperation.
GAB Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Awuah said banks see themselves as frontline partners in combating financial fraud, stressing the importance of trust and coordinated intelligence-sharing. “Trust is the name of the game. And as banks, our foundation is trust,” he said, noting that banks share information on incidents and emerging fraud tactics with the BoG, police and CSA, as well as among themselves.
Mr. Awuah also emphasised the shared responsibility between financial institutions and customers. “An informed customer is a secure customer, and it takes two to tango in a fight against fraud,” he said, adding that strong institutional safeguards could still be undermined when customers disclose personal security information.” He said the growth of digital financial services should not require consumers to choose between convenience and safety. “The two must move together,” he said.
Chief Risk Officer of CalBank PLC, Mr. Sadiq Atta, who delivered welcome remarks on behalf of the Managing Director, Mr. Carl Selasi Asem, said the campaign theme was particularly relevant to the financial sector as digital adoption expands both opportunities and exposure to cyber risk. “Our task, therefore, is not to hold back innovation; it is to pursue innovation in a way that strengthens security, resilience and trust,” he said.
Mr. Atta called for closer collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, law-enforcement agencies, technology providers, academia, the media and the public, noting that no single institution can secure the digital ecosystem alone.
Five strategic pillars
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Deputy Minister Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu outlined five strategic pillars for NCSAM 2026:
- Securing Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem
- Cybercrime prevention and response
- Cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection
- Cyber hygiene; the basic, routine practices people and organisations follow to keep their devices, accounts, systems and data secure from cyber threats and digital safety
- Capacity building, research and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Mr. Sukparu said the initiative seeks to build confidence in Ghana’s digital economy. “Let us build a Ghana where a citizen can make a digital payment with confidence, where a business can innovate without unnecessary fear, and where investors can have confidence in the resilience of our digital economy,” he said.
Cyber Security Authority (CSA)
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) is Ghana’s national regulator for cybersecurity, established under the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), and operational since October 1, 2021. The Authority is responsible for regulating cybersecurity activities, preventing and responding to cybersecurity threats and incidents, protecting Critical Information Infrastructure, and promoting a secure and resilient digital ecosystem.
As a government agency under the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, the CSA works with public and private-sector institutions, law-enforcement agencies, industry, academia and international partners to strengthen cybersecurity, deter cybercrime, build national capacity and promote cybersecurity awareness.
Its regulatory responsibilities include licensing Cybersecurity Service Providers, accrediting Cybersecurity Establishments and Professionals, overseeing cybersecurity requirements for Critical Information Infrastructure, coordinating national incident response through CERT-GH, and promoting public education and cyber safety. The CSA also leads national cybersecurity awareness initiatives, including the annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), as part of its broader mandate to build a secure and resilient digital Ghana. For cybersecurity incident reporting and advice, the public can contact the CSA on 292.
