The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) recorded 23,363 public inquiries at its call centre in 2025, highlighting growing awareness and concern over cyber threats across Ghana.

Of these, 4,604 were confirmed cyber incidents, while 18,759 required expert guidance from CSA personnel.

The figures were disclosed by Mr Divine Selase Agbeti, Director-General of the CSA, during the launch of the Central Region Cybersecurity Competition for Senior High Schools in Cape Coast, held in observance of Africa Safer Internet Day 2026.

Hosted at Adisadel College’s Canterbury Hall, the event attracted strong participation from leading senior high schools in the historic city. Adisadel College won the boys’ category, edging out Mfantsipim School and St Augustine’s College. In the girls’ category, Mfantseman Girls’ Senior High School from Saltpond triumphed over Wesley Girls’ High School and Holy Child School, showcasing the region’s emerging talent in cybersecurity.

Held under the theme “Together for a Safer Africa Online: AU Online Safety Policy in Action,” the competition equipped students with practical skills in threat detection, ethical hacking, and secure coding.

Mr Agbeti emphasised the human impact behind cyber incidents, noting that many inquiries involved Ghanaians—often children or young people—whose trust had been violated.

“Behind every statistic lies pain and betrayal. These are not abstract risks but daily realities,” he said.

While acknowledging the internet’s role in bridging Ghana’s geographic, gender, and political divides, Mr Agbeti cautioned against risks including cyberbullying, online exploitation, fraud, sextortion, identity theft, misinformation, and deepfakes.

He referenced the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), noting that offences such as cyberstalking, sextortion, online grooming, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images can attract prison terms of up to 25 years.

“Ghana’s laws are unequivocal—children must be protected online,” he stressed, urging students to act responsibly in the digital space. He encouraged young people to report unsafe online experiences via the CSA’s 24-hour helpline by dialling 292.

CSA Board Member Mr Charles Kwansah also advised students to safeguard their personal information online.

“Protect your digital footprint. The internet remembers everything. Every post you make, click, or share shapes your tomorrow,” he said.

Mr Kwansah added that the competition not only celebrated academic excellence in the Central Region but also aligned with national efforts to strengthen cyber resilience as Ghana increasingly depends on digital technologies vulnerable to cyber threats.