The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr Divine Agbeti, has urged Ghanaians to take personal responsibility for protecting themselves against online fraud, warning that people must verify requests for money even when they appear to come from someone they know.

He said the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) had made it increasingly important for people to question suspicious messages, calls and images before acting on them.

Speaking at the launch of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCAM) 2026, under the theme “Securing Ghana’s Digital Finance Ecosystem”, Dr Agbeti called on the public to adopt safer online habits, particularly when making digital financial transactions.

“To our citizens, I say this. Cyber security begins with all of us. Pause before clicking. Verify before transferring money. Protect your passwords and authentication credentials. Question unexpected requests for money. Even when the voice, message, or image appears to come from someone you know,” he said.

He said that the public could no longer rely solely on what they saw or heard online to determine whether a message was genuine.

“In the age of artificial intelligence, seeing is no longer necessarily believing. Verification must come or must become a habit,” Dr Agbeti said.

Dr Agbeti said Ghana’s progress in digital transformation must be matched by a firm commitment to protecting the systems and people who depend on it.

He said cyber security was a shared responsibility that required the active participation of government, financial institutions, fintech companies, telecommunications operators and the public.

“Ghana has made a deliberate choice to embrace digital transformation. We must now make an equally deliberate choice to secure it. No single entity can do it alone,” he said.

He added that no institution could effectively address the country’s cybersecurity challenges by working in isolation.

“The government cannot do it alone. The Cyber Security Authority cannot do it alone. Banks cannot do it alone. Fintechs cannot do it alone. Telecommunication companies also cannot do it alone,” he said.

“Cyber security is a team sport, and Ghana must play as one team.”

The CSA Director-General urged stakeholders to work together to protect digital financial services, strengthen their systems against cyber attacks and improve the public’s confidence in online transactions.

Dr Agbeti said the awareness month should go beyond public education campaigns and encourage practical steps to improve cyber security across the country.

He called for a shift from raising awareness to taking action, as well as stronger cooperation between institutions and a greater focus on preventing attacks rather than responding only after they occur.

“Let NCAM 2026 therefore be more than another month of awareness activities. Let it mark a shift from awareness to action, from institutional silos to collective defence, from reacting to attack to building resilience, and from merely using digital technology to trust in it,” he said.

He said building resilient systems and improving cooperation among institutions were essential to protecting Ghana’s growing digital finance ecosystem.

The CSA chief said public trust should be at the centre of efforts to secure the country’s digital economy.

He explained that people needed confidence that their money would be protected when they transacted online, while businesses needed assurance that their systems could withstand cyber attacks.

“Ultimately, the greatest cyber security technology we can build is not a firewall. It is trust,” he said.

“Trust that when citizens transact online, their money is protected. Trust that when businesses innovate, their systems are resilient. Trust that when attacks occur, institutions will respond collectively.”

Dr Agbeti said Ghana’s digital future should not only promote innovation and inclusion but also provide the security needed for people and businesses to use digital services with confidence.

He called on financial institutions, fintech companies, telecommunications operators, technology providers, public institutions and citizens to participate actively in NCAM 2026.

“Let us secure every transaction. Let us strengthen every institution. Let us protect every citizen. And together, let us build a digital Ghana that our people can trust,” he said.