REMARKS BY THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATION, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS, HON. SAMUEL NARTEY GEORGE, AT THE 2026 CISO SUMMIT ON THE THEME: ``BOARDROOM CONVERSATIONS: ELEVATING CYBERSECURITY TO A BUSINESS PRIORITY`` HELD AT THE KEMPINSKI HOTEL, ACCRA
Source: ministry_of_communications_ghana

1 Wednesday, April 22, 2026 REMARKS BY THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATION, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS, HON. SAMUEL NARTEY GEORGE, AT THE 2026 CISO SUMMIT ON THE THEME: "BOARDROOM CONVERSATIONS: ELEVATING CYBERSECURITY TO A BUSINESS PRIORITY" HELD AT THE KEMPINSKI HOTEL, ACCRA. 2 Distinguished Chairperson, Leadership of Sapient Envision and Innovare Group, The Founder, e-Crime Bureau and former Director General of the CSA, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Chief Information Security Officers, Industry Leaders, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, Good morning. I am pleased to join you at the 2026 CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) Summit. This gathering continues to grow in importance as Ghana advances its digital transformation journey. I commend Sapient Envision, a subsidiary of the Innovare Group, for consistently convening this summit. They have created a platform that brings cybersecurity leadership into executive and boardroom discussions. This year’s theme underscores the importance of prioritising cybersecurity in boardroom discussions for sustainable business success. Ladies and gentlemen, across Ghana and the world, digital transformation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Government services are being digitised, more financial transactions are taking place online, and businesses are migrating to cloud environments. Meanwhile, emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence are reshaping industries. However, these advancements also bring an expanded threat landscape. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime costs are projected to grow by 15 per cent per year over the next five years. By the end of 2025, they are expected to reach 10.5 trillion dollars annually, up from US$3 trillion in 2015. The financial sector remains a primary target. The International Monetary Fund, in its April 2024 Global Financial Stability Report, revealed that over the past two decades, 20 per cent of reported cyber incidents have affected the global financial sector, resulting in direct losses of over US$12 billion. Ghana is not immune. Cybersecurity now impacts revenue, operations, reputation, customer trust, and national security. It is a boardroom-level business imperative. The government recognises that a secure digital ecosystem needs deliberate investments. These include digital skills, infrastructure, and governance. Under the Reset Ghana Agenda, the government is pursuing a modern, inclusive, and secure digital economy. This economy is driven by knowledge, powered by innovation, and grounded 3 in national sovereignty. This vision places cybersecurity at the core of Ghana’s national development strategy. Reflecting this commitment, the Ministry is implementing key initiatives to strengthen Ghana’s digital resilience. One flagship initiative is the One Million Coders Programme. It aims to train one million Ghanaians in digital and coding skills to support Ghana’s growing digital economy. The programme is officially scheduled to be rolled out in May 2026, following pilot ing with 859 participants. Encouragingly, 52 per cent were female, reflecting our commitment to inclusive digital development. As part of this initiative, 130 learning centres across Ghana's 16 regions are being equipped with laptops. This supports hands -on training and the development of digital skills. The programme will not only build Ghana’s digital workforce, but also. It wil l also strengthen our cybersecurity capacity by producing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, developers, and digital innovators. Beyond skills development, the government is also implementing a bold Digital Jobs Initiative. This three-billion-dollar public-private partnership aims to create sustainable technology-driven jobs. Through this effort, Regional Digital Centres are being developed to expand Business Process Outsourcing and Knowledge Process Outsourcing. Zonal ICT Parks are being established to drive innovation in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital entrepreneurship. Parks such as the Dawa ICT Park will be re developed into global-standard centres of excellence. The government is also implementing a 50 -million-dollar FinTech Growth Fund to support indigenous startups and accelerate Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem. These investments align with the 24 -Hour Economy Initiative, which is not only a job -creation strategy but also a digital resilience strategy. A 24 -hour economy requires round -the- clock secure systems, resilient infrastructure, and continuous monitoring. This further reinforces the need to elevate cybersecurity to the highest levels of organisational governance. Ladies and gentlemen, Ghana has made significant strides in strengthening its cybersecurity governance and regulatory framework. We are grateful to all stakeholders for their contributions and feedback. Your ongoing support helps us build a resilient and secure digital ecosystem. As Ghana advances its digital transformation agenda, including digital public services, fintech innovation, smart infrastructure, artificial intelligence solutions, and a 24 -hour digital economy, cybersecurity must remain foundational to our progress. 4 We must therefore: • Strengthen collaboration between government and industry • Invest in cybersecurity talent and skills development • Promote board-level cybersecurity governance • Encourage information sharing across sectors • Build resilient and secure digital infrastructure Ladies and gentlemen, the future of Ghana’s digital economy depends on trust. Trust depends on security. And security depends on leadership. Let us make cybersecurity a boardroom focus to ensure it remains a strategic priority for every business. Once again, I commend Sapient Envision, the Cyber Security Authority, and all partners for their continued collaboration in strengthening Ghana’s cybersecurity ecosystem. On this note, I wish you fruitful deliberations and a successful 2026 CISO Summit. Thank you, and may God bless our homeland, Ghana.