GHANA · CYBERCRIME
Key Facts
- —The country Ghana is a West African democracy of more than 30 million people, with a fast-growing mobile money and digital payments market.
- —What happened On Saturday 24 October, the Cyber Security Authority reported GH¢209.7 million (about US$18.0 million) in cybercrime losses for nine months.
- —The incidents The Authority recorded 4,938 cybersecurity incidents from January to September 2026; a Cape Coast presentation gave the same totals on 15 October.
- —The comparison Nine-month losses in 2025 were about GH¢19.3 million (about US$1.7 million), so 2026 is nearly eleven times higher.
- —The setting Director-General Divine Selasi Agbeti spoke at the fifth Cyber Secure Volta Regional Conference in Ho, the capital of the Volta Region.
- —The response The Authority plans a Volta office before end-2026 and urges victims to report via short code 292.
- —Still open The Authority has not published a split of the losses by type of fraud, sector or victim.
Ghana cybercrime losses reached an estimated GH¢209.7 million (about US$18.0 million) from January to September 2026, the country’s Cyber Security Authority said. Director-General Divine Selasi Agbeti gave the figure on Saturday 24 October at a regional conference in Ho.
The Authority logged 4,938 incidents in those nine months, and Agbeti said many victims never report. For US readers, the numbers show how quickly fraud is growing in a West African market that American firms, lenders and travelers use.
What the Cyber Security Authority Reported
The Cyber Security Authority is the Ghanaian government body that regulates and coordinates cyber security. Agbeti told a regional conference in Ho, the Volta Region capital, that Ghana cybercrime losses hit GH¢209.7 million (about US$18.0 million) in nine months.
The Authority recorded 4,938 incidents in the same period, and Agbeti called the figures a worrying development, the Ghana News Agency reported. The same totals were first given on 15 October by a Cyber Security Authority officer at a regional presentation in Cape Coast, Graphic Online reported.
How the Losses Compare With Last Year
A year earlier, Jake France of the Authority put losses for January to September 2025 at GH¢19.3 million (about US$1.7 million), Citi Newsroom reported. Set against that nine-month figure, Ghana cybercrime losses are nearly eleven times larger in 2026.
Agbeti said the reported cases are only part of the problem, because many victims stay silent. The Authority has not published a nine-month incident count for 2025, so incident numbers cannot be compared like for like.
Why Many Cases Never Reach the Authorities
Agbeti said some victims stay silent because of embarrassment, fear of public ridicule or other worries. He urged victims of online fraud, blackmail, cyberbullying and extortion to report so that investigators can act and stop further harm.
He said human error and social engineering, which means tricking people into handing over money or passwords, caused a significant share of incidents. The Authority runs a round-the-clock short code, 292, for reports of suspected cybercrime.
A New Authority Office in the Volta Region
The Authority intends to open an office in the Volta Region before the end of 2026 to support police and prosecutors against cybercrime. Agbeti said arrests and prosecutions have been pursued since 2025, including operations in the region.
He asked residents not to let their communities become hiding places for cybercriminals, and he told landlords to make reasonable enquiries before renting out property. He named unusual accommodation arrangements and unexplained displays of wealth as warning signs.
Mobile Money and Digital Finance Under Pressure
Agbeti warned users of mobile money, internet banking and digital wallets against suspicious investment offers, unrealistic returns and requests to send money to unfamiliar accounts. Mobile money is the phone-based payment service that millions of Ghanaians use for everyday transfers and purchases.
Earlier this autumn the Authority said its response team had logged 3,876 incidents from January to July. Online fraud made up about 47 percent of them, the Ghanaian Times reported.
What It Means for US Readers
American companies with Ghanaian staff, customers or payment partners face a fast-growing fraud risk in a market where mobile money dominates. Finance teams should confirm every unusual payment request through a second channel before money moves.
Ghana has also been a base for scams aimed at Americans, and the FBI said one October operation found nearly US$10 million in losses. Travelers and diaspora families who send money home should verify payment requests by phone.
What Is Not Known
The Authority has not split the GH¢209.7 million (about US$18.0 million) in Ghana cybercrime losses by type of fraud, sector or victim. It has also not said how many of the 4,938 incidents involved a financial loss.
It is not clear how much of the rise from last year reflects new crime and how much reflects better reporting. The opening date and budget of the Volta office have not been announced.
Official reports cite 4,604 incidents and losses above GH¢22.5 million (about US$1.9 million) for all of 2025. That full-year total cannot be set against nine months of 2026.
More: Ghana news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Ghana lose to cybercrime in 2026?
Ghana cybercrime losses reached an estimated GH¢209.7 million (about US$18.0 million) from January to September 2026, the Cyber Security Authority reported. The figure covers only incidents that victims reported.
How many cyber incidents did Ghana record?
The Authority recorded 4,938 incidents between January and September 2026. It has not given a nine-month count for 2025 to compare with.
Who is Divine Selasi Agbeti?
Agbeti is the Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Ghana’s cyber security regulator. He gave the figures on Saturday 24 October at a conference in Ho.
How can victims report cybercrime in Ghana?
The Authority runs a short code, 292, that it says is available around the clock. It also asks victims to keep evidence and report to the appropriate authorities.
Is Ghana safe for US visitors and businesses?
Millions of people use Ghana’s digital payments without loss, but Ghana cybercrime losses are rising. Verify payment requests, avoid unrealistic investment offers and protect passwords.
Sources: Citi Newsroom, Ghana cybersecurity losses in nine months, 25 October 2026; Ghana News Agency, cybercrime losses in nine months, CSA, 24 October 2026; Graphic Online, Ghana records GH¢209m in cybercrime losses in nine months, 15 October 2026; Ghanaian Times, Online fraud dominates cyber incidents in Ghana, 2 October 2026; Citi Newsroom, cybercrime losses in nine months of 2025, 27 October 2025.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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