The rapid growth of digital payments, mobile banking and online commerce is changing how businesses and consumers transact, while also exposing the economy to risks from cyber fraud and other digital threats.
Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Divine Selase Agbeti, said the growing dependence on digital platforms had made cybersecurity an economic and national security issue, with cyber incidents capable of undermining confidence in the systems driving financial inclusion and electronic commerce.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) on October 1, Mr Agbeti said digital technologies were creating new opportunities for businesses and consumers while also giving cybercriminals more channels through which to target them.
The 2026 NCSAM is being held under the theme, “Securing Ghana’s Digital Finance Ecosystem: Building Trust Through Collaboration and Cyber Resilience.”
“The future of finance is digital. Unfortunately, so is the future of financial crime,” Mr Agbeti said.
The growing use of digital financial services means a disruption or loss of trust can extend beyond individual victims to affect wider participation in the digital economy. Consumers who become reluctant to use mobile money, online banking or digital commerce platforms could slow the adoption of services that businesses and financial institutions increasingly depend on.
Agbeti said cyber threats should therefore not be treated as an issue limited to technology departments, given their potential impact on businesses, consumers and confidence in digital services.
“When a Ghanaian loses money to cyber fraud, we lose more than money; we lose confidence,” he said.
He said declining trust in digital platforms could have implications for financial inclusion, electronic commerce and innovation, making cybersecurity an important part of Ghana’s wider digital transformation.
“Cybersecurity can no longer be treated solely as an IT problem. It is an economic national security issue, and increasingly it is a matter of public trust,” he said.
The risk is also becoming more complex as digital financial services involve multiple institutions and technology providers. Banks, fintech companies, telecommunications operators, regulators and other service providers can hold different pieces of information needed to identify and respond to an attack.
Agbeti called for stronger information sharing among these institutions and law enforcement agencies, arguing that cybercriminals often exploit gaps between organisations.
He also urged boards and senior executives of financial and digital institutions to treat cyber risk as a business risk and regularly test their ability to respond to cyberattacks.
Artificial intelligence is adding another layer to the challenge. Agbeti said AI tools could make phishing attempts and impersonation more convincing by enabling criminals to produce messages, voices and images that appear to come from trusted individuals.
He urged consumers to independently verify unexpected requests for money or sensitive information, even when the communication appears to come from someone they know.
The CSA Director-General said the Authority would continue working with law enforcement agencies, regulators and international partners to identify and disrupt cyber-enabled crime.
“There can be no sustainable digital economy without digital trust, and there can be no digital trust without cybersecurity,” Mr Agbeti said.
Ghana’s expanding digital economy must balance rapid adoption with the need to preserve public trust. Increased reliance on digital financial services is creating new economic opportunities while also making the protection of digital systems and users increasingly critical.
