Cyber Security Authority to Open Tamale Office as Cybercrime Losses Top GH¢209 Million

The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) says it will open a zonal office in Tamale to serve the northern part of the country, as reported losses from cybercrime nationwide climbed above GH¢209 million in the first nine months of 2026, according to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

The CSA Director-General, Dr Divine Selasi Agbeti, made the announcement at the Northern Regional Cybersecurity Awareness campaign in Tamale on Tuesday, 3 November. The event drew public institutions, NGOs, students and members of the public.

Losses up more than ninefold

Dr Agbeti said 4,938 cybersecurity incidents were recorded between January and September, with financial losses of about GH¢209.7 million. That compares with GH¢22.5 million lost through 4,604 incidents last year, according to the figures he cited.

He said human error and social engineering, where criminals trick people into handing over information or money, account for between 60 and 95 per cent of incidents. He warned users of mobile money, internet banking and digital wallets against fake investment schemes and impersonation, and urged the public to report suspected cybercrime through the CSA’s 24-hour short code, 292.

The planned Tamale office is meant to bring awareness, incident reporting and response services closer to communities across the north, he said.

Job scams a concern in the region

In a speech read on his behalf, Northern Regional Minister Mr Ali Adolf John named online investment fraud, mobile money scams and fake job offers as common threats in the region. He said job seekers were especially exposed to schemes demanding upfront payments, and raised concern about deceptive recruitment and travel offers allegedly linked to criminal networks. He called for closer work between the CSA, the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies.

Professor Abukari Abdul Aziz Danaa, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology at Tamale Technical University (TaTU), pointed to fake promotional messages, impersonation of mobile money agents and doctored payment screenshots as common tricks. He advised traders to confirm payments through their own accounts before releasing goods, and said TaTU has started undergraduate and master’s programmes in cybersecurity.

Background

The Tamale event formed part of activities for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed every October. The CSA is the state regulator for cybersecurity under the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038).

Source: Ghana News Agency — https://gna.org.gh/2026/11/cybersecurity-incidents-resulted-in-over-gh%c2%a2209-million-losses-between-january-september-csa/