By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Ghana’s digital ecosystem is under strain as cybercrime continues to drain millions from the economy. The latest figures show cybercrime-related losses of GH¢23.3 million in 2024, with a staggering GH¢14.9 million recorded in the first half of 2025 alone. In response, the government has launched the 2025 National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), urging collective action to secure its online space.
At the media launch of the 2025 edition of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in Accra, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George (MP), warned that while digital platforms are driving growth, they are also increasingly exploited. “The same connectivity that drives innovation also provides an avenue for exploitation by cybercriminals,” he cautioned.
The Communication Minister said the surge in online activity must be matched by stronger cyber hygiene and institutional accountability.
“This year’s theme, ‘Building a Safe, Informed, and Accountable Digital Space’, focuses on countering misinformation, disinformation, and deepfake manipulation, while demanding greater responsibility from both citizens and institutions,” he explained.
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) reported that cyber fraud cases alone surged, with losses jumping from GHS 2.4 million during Q1 2024 to GHS 4.4 million in Q1 2025—marking an alarming rise in just one year . Additional joint CSA-CID operations between May and July 2025 across Dodowa, Bortianor, Teshie-Nungua, and Sogakope resulted in 65 arrests, including foreign nationals suspected of cyber-enabled human trafficking and impersonation schemes . A separate August raid in Tema led to the arrest of 39 individuals, including minors, as authorities dismantled a suspected cyber-fraud hub.
Director-General of the CSA, Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, highlighted that reported cyber incidents rose from 1,317 in the first half of 2024 to 2,008 during the same period this year, a surge of over 50%.
Online fraud accounts for 36% of cases, followed by cyberbullying (25%), blackmail (14%), unauthorized access (12%), and information disclosure (9%).
He pointed out that fraud and impersonation were responsible for over 94% of financial losses, which spiked 17% year-on-year.
To strengthen the country’s cybersecurity foundation, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations announced plans to amend the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), aiming to better balance innovation with safety for users.
He applauded the CSA and CID’s efforts in dismantling cybercrime rings and issued a stern warning: “We are on your trail, and we will bring you to justice.”
Highlighting the broader impact, Ing. Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Dean at the University of Ghana’s School of Engineering Sciences, shared her unsettling experience of falling victim to a false “death report” circulated online. This, she said, underscores how technology can erode trust and disrupt lives if unchecked.
She called on academia to play a central role through research, skills training, and innovation to bolster national cyber resilience.
The NCSAM campaign, themed “Building a Safe, Informed, and Accountable Digital Space,” will engage media professionals, educators, citizens, businesses, and institutions in promoting cyber hygiene, countering misinformation, and enhancing accountability. Authorities stressed that safeguarding Ghana’s digital future requires awareness, strengthened legislation, and a multi-sectoral response.
