Ghana is rapidly becoming one of West Africa's most digitised nations.

Accelerated fintech adoption, expanding e-commerce, mobile money penetration, and ambitious national digitalisation programs have dramatically increased the country's cybersecurity exposure.

As cybercriminals grow more sophisticated, Ghana faces new and evolving digital threats that impact individuals, businesses, and national infrastructure.

This article provides an authoritative and deeply researched overview of the major cybersecurity threats confronting Ghana, drawing on expert analyses, government reports, and sector-specific insights.

Mobile Money Fraud and Digital Financial Crime

Ghana's booming mobile money ecosystem, one of the most extensive globally, has become a prime target for cybercriminals. Mobile money transactions exceeded GHC570 billion in 2024, drawing fraudsters who exploit weak authentication, social engineering, and SIM-swap attacks.

According to a 2025 threat assessment, mobile money fraud ranks among Ghana's top five cyber threats, fuelled by:

-Fake mobile money reversals
-Social engineering via impersonation
-Account takeover using SIM-related vulnerabilities
-Fraudulent digital lending schemes
-The mass adoption of mobile payments increased the attack surface, making financial cybercrime one of Ghana's most persistent cybersecurity challenges.

Ransomware Targeting Critical Industries

Ransomware has evolved into one of Ghana's most damaging cyber threats. In 2024, several Ghanaian financial institutions reportedly faced double-extortion ransomware attacks, where attackers both encrypted and exfiltrated sensitive data.

Key affected sectors include:

-Banking & Fintech
-Healthcare (hospital systems increasingly digitised)
-Energy providers
-Government services

A separate analysis highlights that ransomware remains a growing threat to both businesses and government agencies, with SMEs particularly vulnerable due to limited investment in security defences.

The operational, financial, and reputational damage from ransomware is expected to intensify as cybercriminal groups adopt more advanced tools.

Attacks on Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

Ghana's major infrastructure, such as energy networks, telecommunications systems, and the Port of Tema, faces increasing exposure as operational technology (OT) becomes more digitised.

Cybersecurity professionals warn that attacks on CNI are no longer theoretical, and successful breaches could disrupt national stability.

Risks include:

-Disruption of electricity distribution
-Compromised port logistics and shipping systems
-National telecom outages
-Attacks on digital government platforms

The Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill 2025 explicitly strengthens regulatory protections for CNI, reflecting the urgency of this threat.

Digital Identity Theft and Ghana Card Exploitation

The introduction of the Ghana Card-a nationwide biometric ID system-plays a central role in Ghana's digital transformation. However, the centralised identity database has become a high-value target.

Criminals can leverage stolen digital identities to:

-Open fraudulent bank accounts
-Obtain loans under false identities
-Commit online fraud and impersonation
-As the Ghana Card becomes more widely integrated into public and private-sector services, the consequences of identity theft grow more severe.

Online Fraud, Scams, and Social Engineering

Ghana continues to grapple with increasing cases of online scams and fraud, including:

Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Romance scams
Payment diversion fraud
Employment and scholarship scams
Part of the motivation behind the Cybersecurity Amendment Bill 2025 is to counter rising online fraud and digital deception.

The Bill aims to modernise enforcement powers to confront cybercrime, as Ghana recorded GHC19 million in cybercrime losses in the first nine months of 2025 and a 52% increase in reported cyber incidents.

Weak Supply Chain and Third-Party Security

As Ghanaian companies embrace cloud services, outsourced IT talent, and SaaS platforms, third-party risks have surged. Attackers often target:

-Vendor-managed systems
-Payment processors
-Outsourced customer support systems
-Unpatched cloud workloads
-Modern cyber-attacks increasingly leverage supply chain vulnerabilities, a trend also highlighted by international cybersecurity reports referenced in Ghana-focused analyses.

Rising Sophistication of Cyber Attacks Enabled by Al

Al-driven cyber threats are accelerating:

-AI-powered phishing
-Automated brute-force attacks
-Deepfake-enabled impersonation
-Al-assisted malware evasion techniques

Cybersecurity researchers emphasise the need for AI-enabled defence systems to counter the exponential complexity of modern attacks.

Conclusion

Ghana's digital transformation continues to bring enormous economic opportunities but also exposes the nation to a rapidly expanding set of cybersecurity threats. From mobile money fraud and ransomware to CNI risks and regulatory challenges, the threat landscape demands coordinated national action, investment in technical capacity, and a balanced governance framework.

To strengthen resilience, Ghana must:

-Enhance national cybersecurity awareness and digital literacy
-Invest in advanced digital forensics and AI-driven defences
-Build a skilled and well-resourced cybersecurity workforce
-Balance national security with civil liberties and digital rights
-Improve industry-government collaboration

Ghana's digital rise is unstoppable - but resilience must rise with it. With the right strategy, policies, and partnerships, we can protect our people, our businesses, and our national infrastructure.

About the writer: Gerald Sintim-Aboagye is a former British Army Official, currently the Information Security Analyst for Commercial and Corporate & Investment Banking (CCIB) at Wells Fargo, EMEA, based in London, UK. With his extensive expertise, he is dedicated to combating cyber threats and ensuring the safety of digital ecosystems.