Ghana records GH‵209.7m cybercrime loss in first nine months of 2026

Ghana has recorded significant financial losses from cybersecurity incidents, totaling GH‵209.7 million between January and September 2026. This figure represents a sharp escalation from the GH‵22.5 million recorded for the entirety of 2025, highlighting the increasing financial impact of digital crimes on the national economy. The statistics, released by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), indicate that the cost of cybercrime is growing at a rate that significantly outpaces the increase in the number of reported cases.

According to Mary Ama Bawa of the CSA, the total number of incidents reported during the first nine months of 2026 reached 4,938, compared to 4,604 cases for the whole of 2025. Online fraud remains the most pervasive threat, accounting for 48% of all reported activities. However, the data also reveals a concerning trend in cyberbullying, which saw its share of reports more than double, rising from 9% in 2025 to 19% in 2026. This shift suggests a diversifying threat profile where social and personal attacks are becoming as common as financial ones.

To address these challenges, the CSA has intensified its regulatory and collaborative efforts, particularly with major social media platforms. These partnerships aim to identify and remove harmful content more efficiently, with a primary focus on protecting children from online grooming and exploitation. The authority also warned of sophisticated emerging threats, such as AI-generated deepfake scams, which are being used to deceive individuals and organizations with increasingly realistic fraudulent content.

The CSA emphasized that the current figures might only represent a fraction of the total losses, as many victims remain hesitant to report incidents. Officials are urging citizens to use the authority's reporting channels to help create a more accurate picture of the cyber threat landscape in Ghana. As the country's digital infrastructure expands, the authority maintains that reporting is not just a personal safeguard but a vital contribution to national security and the development of more effective countermeasures.