Ghana has urged other African countries to boost investment in cyber security tools and capacity building.
The country’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, made the call while delivering a lecture on Cyber security, “Ghana’s Policy and Readiness”, at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College as part of the ongoing Defence Management Course 25.
In his presentation, he urged other African countries to establish cyber security resilience while acknowledging the financial and political trade-offs, but emphasised the long-term value of digital security in defending national sovereignty.
The Ghana Minister’s call for increased investments comes as analysts argue that cyber security should not be considered as an afterthought, a compliance checkbox, or a last-minute technical fix.
They believe that politicians, technology leaders, and businesses must collaborate to develop governance frameworks that address Artificial Intelligence (AI)-specific threats, invest in secure-by-design solutions, and build local cyber security skills on a scale.
George gave a data-driven presentation on Ghana’s digital transformation agenda and cyber security readiness, stating that cyber security was the new frontier of national security and defence.
According to him, all traditional defence mechanisms today rely on secure digital infrastructure.
The Minister’s presentation covered key thematic areas: the emergence of the digital economy; threats to the digital landscape, Ghana’s journey toward a secure and resilient digital future and a national roadmap for further advancement.
He also demonstrated how government digitisation efforts—such as e-parliament, e-justice, e-passport, e-procurement, e-immigration and smart workplace platforms—are reshaping governance, judicial processes, and public service delivery.
Additionally, George disclosed recent successes in cyber-intelligence operations involving collaboration with international partners like the FBI and INTERPOL, which led to arrests and asset recovery tied to transnational cyber-crime syndicates.
“Cyber fraud is real, and Ghana has made significant strides in arresting cyber-criminals through advanced digital forensics, AI tools, and coordinated intelligence sharing,” he said.
George also revealed ongoing work on updating Ghana’s cyber security laws to address emerging threats including AI abuse, terrorism financing, deepfakes, and online child exploitation.
while calling for increased investment in cyber security, George cautioned African states: “Cyber security doesn’t win elections, but its absence can cost lives and state stability. We must prioritise it.”
