The Ministry for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations has announced a decline in financial losses from cybercrime this year, despite rising online threats.

Speaking at the launch of the 2025 edition of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) on Wednesday at the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Auditorium, the sector Minister, Samuel Nartey George, disclosed that from January to June 2025, the country recorded GHS14.9 million in cybercrime from GHS 23.3 million in the previous year.

Online scams, fraud, blackmail, and unauthorized access attributes to the majority of cybercrime-related financial losses in Ghana, according to the Minister. The Minister cited statistics from the Cyber Security Authority to support his disclosure. The Minister added that, the need for a safer and more accountable digital environment requires collective efforts.

“Statistics from the Cyber Security Authority indicate that Ghana recorded cybercrime-related financial losses of GHS 23.3 million in 2024 and GHS 14.9 million in the first half of 2025, mainly through online fraud, blackmail, and unauthorized access,” he stated.

This year’s campaign, themed “Building a Safe, Informed, and Accountable Digital Space,” focuses on countering misinformation, disinformation, and deepfake manipulation. The Minister noted that Ghana’s internet penetration stood at 70 percent, with 24.3 million users and 7.95 million active social media identities, placing the country 15th globally in social media adoption. He cautioned that “the same connectivity that drives innovation also provides an avenue for exploitation by cybercriminals.”

Mr. George disclosed that his Ministry was working to amend the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) to strengthen regulations that balance innovation with user protection. He further commended the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) for recent joint operations, including a crackdown in Tema that led to 39 arrests, as well as earlier operations between May and July 2025 that netted 65 suspects linked to sophisticated fraud schemes.

“Let me sound a warning to those exploiting foreign nationals to perpetrate cyber fraud: we are on your trail, and we will bring you to justice,” he declared.

The Minister also underscored the role of the media in safeguarding Ghana’s digital ecosystem, urging journalists to raise awareness on issues such as cyberbullying, fraud, and online exploitation. “This campaign cannot succeed without your active participation,” he stressed.

Adding to the discussion, the Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, highlighted the scale of the threat. Reported cyber incidents rose from 1,317 cases in the first half of 2024 to 2,008 cases in the same period this year. Online fraud alone accounted for 36 percent of reported cases, cyberbullying 25 percent, online blackmail 14 percent, unauthorized access 12 percent, and information disclosure 9 percent.

He noted that financial losses increased by 17 percent year-on-year, reaching GHS 14.9 million in the first half of 2025, with fraud and impersonation responsible for more than 94 percent of the figure.

The Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana, Ing. Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, also addressed the event, stressing the role of academia in Ghana’s cybersecurity agenda. She described digital transformation—through mobile payments, telemedicine, online education, and smart governance—as a driver of growth, but warned that cyberspace remains unsafe.

Sharing her personal experience of being falsely reported dead on social media days earlier, Prof. Kaufmann cautioned that “the very technologies that connect us and drive progress can also be exploited to undermine trust, disrupt economies, and erode the rights and freedoms of citizens.”

She highlighted three areas where academia can bolster cybersecurity: research, capacity building, and innovation.

In connection to cyberattacks, Sam George announced plans to roll out tailored Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions in five key Ministries.

According to a post shared on the ministry's Facebook page, the Honourable Minister mentioned that recent cyberattacks had targeted multiple government portals, with attempts made to manipulate HR databases.

‎He attributed these breaches largely to poor personal cyber hygiene, such as logging into official email accounts on unsecured public devices.

Speaking at a stakeholder session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness for selected Ministries, held today at the Ministry of Finance, the minister outlined a phased rollout targeting five priority Ministries involving, Finance, Interior, Lands and Natural Resources, Fisheries and Aquaculture including the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations with AI solutions tailored to each institution’s operational needs.

Mr George is therefore poised to collaborate with the Cyber Security Authority to enforce stronger security protocols, enhance user training, and ensure compliance with national standards.

‎He stressed that AI deployment would be preceded by assessments of each institution’s digital maturity and would be designed to reduce inefficiencies, digitize workflows, and cut operational delays.

‎The deployment, he noted, would require data standardisation and full utilisation of Ghana’s National Data Centre.

Highlighting cost-saving measures, the Minister cited the success of centralised licensing arrangements with Microsoft, which have already saved the country tens of millions of dollars. He disclosed that similar consolidation of enterprise software contracts was planned to eliminate wasteful spending.

‎On infrastructure, he announced that the National Data Centre is due for an upgrade to meet current and future hosting demands. Funding discussions with the Ministry of Finance are ongoing to ensure timely completion of the project.

‎The meeting also reviewed the summary of the National AI Strategy and identified use-cases for the five pilot ministries, with implementation slated for 2026. The Minister encouraged the Ministry of Finance to allocate a dedicated budget line for AI deployment in the 2026 fiscal year.

A month ago, Sam George highlighted Ghana's commitment to a digital future, emphasizing the country’s dedication to fostering economic growth, innovation, and job creation. He also pointed out that MTN’s decision to establish its second AI lab in Africa plays a key role in this vision, with Ghana being selected as the hub.

He added that Ghana has been selected as the location for MTN's second artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Africa. According to him, the decision to establish the second lab in Ghana underscores the nation's growing influence in AI research and technological innovation.

Sam George described the new lab as a “center of excellence,” aimed at driving advancements in AI, machine learning, and digital transformation. The opening of the AI lab is anticipated to foster collaboration among tech leaders, researchers, and innovators, further strengthening Ghana’s expanding digital ecosystem.

The Honourable Minister had also noted that the government of Ghana has signed strategic partnerships with technological giants Huawei and Google.

Updating the members of the general public on the various initiatives taken by his ministry to develop the communication sector as part of the Government Accountability Series in, August, he made this information known.

“In the period under review, we have signed strategic partnerships with Huawei and Google. We entered into a formal partnership arrangement with these technology giants to drive deeper integration between policy research and practical innovation,” Sam Nartey George said.

He noted that these partnerships will see both Google and Huawei train 100,000 beneficiaries each under the One Million Coders Programme.

“This represents a deliberate move to prepare students for the evolving demands of the digital technology economy under President John Dramani Mahama,” the Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation Minister further remarked.

Mr Sam Nartey George expressed gratitude to the two organisations and clarified that the programme will be both online and in person.

“My gratitude goes to both technology giants, Huawei and Google for their belief in the John Dramani Mahama vision. This Google certificate and Huawei training programme are going to be a mix of in-person and online training programmes and so we will be rolling out the programme very soon in every constituency in the country to allow for people to take this training.”

He added, “the beauty of the Google 100,000 training is Google already has its AI research lab in Ghana, and what we are trying to do is train the people using Google’s certification Programme and then, on the back of that, get them employed to work with Google or any of its partners and affiliates.