Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations Samuel Nartey George has warned that West African countries risk surrendering control over critical digital infrastructure if they fail to develop the cybersecurity capacity needed to protect increasingly digitized economies.
Speaking at the opening of the ECOWAS Regional Hackathon, George framed cybersecurity as both an economic and sovereignty issue, arguing that the region’s ability to secure its digital systems will influence future competitiveness, investment attractiveness and technological independence.
“The future of West Africa’s digital security is being shaped here, by the innovators in this room,” he told developers and cybersecurity professionals gathered for the 48-hour competition at the Mensvic Grand Hotel.
The minister’s comments come as businesses across Africa face a growing wave of cyberattacks targeting financial institutions, public services and critical infrastructure. The increasing digitization of commerce, government services and financial transactions has heightened concerns about the economic costs of cybercrime.
Citing the Interpol Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2025, George said ransomware attacks are disrupting essential services while business email compromise schemes continue to inflict financial losses on companies and public institutions.
“These are not distant, abstract threats,” he said. “They are happening in our cities, within our financial systems and institutions right now. The perpetrators are technically capable, well-resourced, and increasingly sophisticated.”
The warning cites growing challenges for African economies seeking to accelerate digital transformation while grappling with shortages of cybersecurity professionals. According to George, the global cybersecurity workforce gap exceeds four million professionals, with Africa facing the largest shortfall.
“This is not a sign of weakness, but of opportunity. The world urgently needs your skills. Our challenge is to build and channel sufficient talent quickly to address real-world problems,” he said.
The talent shortage has become a key concern for policymakers seeking to attract technology investment and expand digital services. Analysts say inadequate cybersecurity capacity can raise operational risks for businesses, increase compliance costs and deter investment in digital sectors.
George pointed to recent operations by Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority, which has worked with security agencies to dismantle cybercrime and trafficking-linked scam centers. While the operations led to hundreds of arrests, he expressed concern that many of those detained possessed valuable technical skills that had been diverted into criminal activity.
“These are young people with real technical ability, but whose skills have been pointed in the wrong direction,” he observed.
The minister also cited warnings from the World Economic Forum that countries lacking sufficient cybersecurity capabilities could become dependent on foreign providers as artificial intelligence accelerates digital adoption.
“That is not a position any sovereign nation wants to be in,” he emphasised.
To address the skills deficit, George highlighted Ghana’s One Million Coders Programme, a four-year initiative aimed at training one million Ghanaians in coding, cybersecurity, data science and network support.
“We are not waiting for these professionals to come from elsewhere. We are building them here, and the framework we are developing can serve as a model for our neighbours across the ECOWAS region,” he stated.
“The jobs exist. The demand is growing. What we need are people ready to step into these roles,” he added.
Addressing participants in the regional hackathon, George urged developers to focus on practical solutions capable of deployment beyond the competition.
“I want you to build as if your solution will be deployed in the real world, because it might be,” he said. “Some of Africa’s most impactful cybersecurity tools, fintech solutions, and digital platforms began exactly this way: a hackathon, a team, a problem, and the determination to solve it.”
He also emphasized the importance of ethics in technology development as digital tools become increasingly powerful.
“The most powerful technology, in the wrong hands or without ethical guardrails, does not create prosperity, it creates risk. What distinguishes great engineers from good ones is not just the ability to build, but whether what they build makes people safer, more empowered, and better off,” he noted.
The minister encouraged participants to use the event to forge regional partnerships that could help build cross-border digital solutions tailored to African markets.
“The connections you build this weekend, with developers from Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and across the region, will outlast this event. Build networks, share knowledge, and create solutions that reflect African realities, not imported templates,” he advised.
“Ghana is fully committed to this future and to working with every ECOWAS member state, every partner, and every one of you to make it a reality,” he concluded.
The ECOWAS Regional Hackathon 2026 is organized by the ECOWAS Commission in partnership with Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority and brings together technology professionals from across West Africa to develop solutions addressing cybersecurity and digital innovation challenges.
