Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has launched a new book that documents Ghana’s transformation from a country grappling with digital threats to one recognised globally as a role model in cybersecurity.
The book, The Republic: A Professional Journey, Ghana’s Cybersecurity and the Making of a Role Model Country, was written by the former Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority and founder of the e-Crime Bureau, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako.
The Republic blends history, policy analysis and behind-the-scenes accounts of Ghana’s cybersecurity evolution over the past decade, showing how leadership, reforms and international cooperation helped the country overcome early vulnerabilities and establish itself as a global leader.
The launch took place on Tuesday, November 25, at the British Council in Accra, drawing government officials, industry leaders, academics and diplomats.
In his remarks as Special Guest of Honour, former President Akufo-Addo said the publication captured the “vision, determination and hard work” that enabled Ghana to move from a score of 32.6 percent in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index in 2017 to 99.27 percent in 2024, placing the country in the top tier of global performers.
He praised the technical leadership of Dr Antwi-Boasiako, the policy oversight of then Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, and the collaboration across institutions and international partners that “positioned Ghana as a beacon of excellence and innovation on the continent”.
The book outlines Ghana’s early digital challenges in the 2000s, when expanding internet access and mobile money created opportunities for communication and financial inclusion while exposing citizens to cybercrime and cross-border attacks. It was in this context of limited capacity and rising threats that the author sought to strengthen institutions and coordinate national responses.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako traces this journey from his return to Ghana in 2011 to establish the e-Crime Bureau, West Africa’s first private digital forensics laboratory, and his partnerships with KNUST, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre and other institutions that laid the foundation for national cybersecurity capacity. The book also recounts Ghana’s early engagements with the Budapest Convention, the development of the first National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy in 2016, and the establishment of governance structures when he joined government as Cybersecurity Advisor in 2017.
These efforts led to the passage of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020, the operationalisation of the Cyber Security Authority, expanded national awareness campaigns, Ghana’s hosting of major global cyber capacity events, and its recognition as a Tier-1 role-model state on the ITU Index.
Reviewing the more than 300-page publication, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe of the Court of Appeal said it reminded readers that “serving one’s nation with dedication surpasses any personal comfort or material gain.”
Italy’s Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Laura Ranalli, also highlighted the author’s longstanding academic and professional ties with Italy.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Antwi-Boasiako said the book was “far more than a launch of a publication” but the culmination of a journey shaped by institutions, mentors and partners who strengthened his understanding of public service.
He expressed gratitude to the former president, his family, colleagues, partners and all who contributed to Ghana’s cybersecurity institutions.
