Ghana’s banks reduced their overall fraud exposure in 2025, but a sharp rise in cash suppression revealed a persistent internal risk facing the sector, with the category accounting for GH¢40.7 million in potential losses.
The Bank of Ghana’s 2025 Fraud Report showed that fraud cases reported by banks declined to 472 in 2025 from 716 in 2024, while the total value at risk fell by 24% to GH¢57 million from GH¢75 million.
But behind the improvement was a worrying shift. Cash suppression, a form of fraud involving the improper withholding or misappropriation of funds by individuals with access to cash, became the biggest source of potential losses for banks during the year.
The value at risk from cash suppression jumped to GH¢40.7 million in 2025 from GH¢2.3 million a year earlier, an 18-fold increase.
The Bank of Ghana said the increase was largely influenced by a single case involving GH¢36 million, which significantly affected the overall figure.
The development highlights a challenge for banks that goes beyond external threats such as cybercrime and digital scams. While technology-driven fraud continues to attract attention, internal controls and employee accountability remain critical parts of protecting financial institutions.
Other fraud categories also recorded increases during the year. E-money fraud rose to GH¢4.6 million from GH¢3.5 million in 2024, while fraudulent withdrawals increased by 118% to GH¢3.97 million.
Not all areas deteriorated. ATM and point-of-sale fraud declined by 41%, with the value at risk falling to GH¢2.43 million from GH¢4.14 million in 2024.
The overall decline in bank fraud suggests that stronger controls and monitoring systems may be helping to reduce incidents. However, the rise in cash suppression shows that fraud risks continue to evolve and can emerge from areas where institutions traditionally expect the highest level of trust.
For customers, bank fraud is often associated with online scams, stolen passwords and impersonation attempts. But the 2025 figures point to another dimension of the challenge, ensuring that funds are protected not only from external attackers but also within the institutions that manage them.
