Ghana has signed the United Nations Cybercrime Convention in Hanoi, joining 71 countries in what is being described as a historic step toward collective action against cyber-enabled crime.
The convention, adopted after years of negotiations, seeks to create a coordinated legal and operational framework for states to combat cross-border cybercrime, improve access to digital evidence, and strengthen safeguards for institutions increasingly exposed to digital attacks.
Ghana’s delegation to the signing was led by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel Nartey George. Officials said the move aligns with the country’s domestic cybersecurity agenda, which prioritises international cooperation, capacity-building and the protection of national infrastructure from digital threats.
The accession, they said, is expected to enhance Ghana’s ability to collaborate with foreign authorities on investigations, improve evidence exchange, and support law enforcement and justice sector reforms as cybercrime becomes more sophisticated.
Beyond enforcement, the ceremony in Hanoi was framed as a multilateral commitment to safer digital economies. For Ghana, that includes deepening partnerships across government, business and civil society to build resilience against financial fraud, ransomware, data breaches and online exploitation.
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By joining the UN convention at the early stage of implementation, Ghana positions itself within the first cohort of African states aligning with a global rules-based approach to cyber governance. The treaty will now move to domestic processes for ratification and incorporation into national legal and institutional structures.
At home, Ghana’s draft Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill is drawing strong pushback on social media, where users are questioning both the scope and the intent of the proposed powers. Posts on X and Facebook describe the legislation as a potential gateway to state surveillance and expanded regulatory control over digital infrastructure rather than a narrowly tailored security measure.
