The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has unveiled a revised Cyber and Information Security Directive (CISD) 2026 to provide a comprehensive framework to strengthen cyber and information security protocols and safeguard the financial sector against rising digital threats.
The new directive, which replaced the 2018 framework that had become outdated due to rapid technological changes, is aimed at strengthening resilience across the digital financial ecosystem.
The directive signalled a shift from traditional financial supervision to a broader mandate that prioritised the protection of data confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Unveiling
The CISD is a comprehensive regulatory framework developed by the Bank of Ghana to strengthen cyber resilience and protect the integrity of the country’s financial system.
It was unveiled on the theme: “Safer and more resilient digital financial industry”.
It was attended by the Governor of the BoG, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama; the Minister of Communication Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George; the first Deputy Governor of the BoG, Dr Zakari Mumuni; The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Association of Banks (GAB), John Awuah and other dignitaries.
National importance
At the launch of the CISD at the Bank Square in Accra yesterday, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, stressed that protecting digital financial systems had become a matter of national importance as the economy grew increasingly technology-driven.
He stated that as Ghana’s financial systems had become increasingly digital, safeguarding them had become a matter of national importance.
He said cybersecurity could no longer be treated as a narrow technical issue but had to be integrated into governance, operations, and institutional culture.
“By strengthening cyber resilience, we were not only protecting infrastructure; we were protecting confidence in the entire financial ecosystem,” Mr Debrah added.
Major milestone
Dr Asiama described the launch of the revised CISD as a major milestone in safeguarding the country’s financial ecosystem.
He said the new directive reflected the central pillar of the bank’s regulatory philosophy and its commitment to every Ghanaian who entrusted their accounts and transactions to the banking industry.
He said that innovations such as mobile money, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence had revolutionised financial access and inclusion, but had also exposed the sector to complex cyber threats, including ransomware attacks and systemic data breaches.
Dr Asiama stated that the CISD 2026 introduced robust governance, board-level accountability, proportionality frameworks, and inclusive oversight, ensuring that all institutions—from rural banks to fintechs—were integrated into a unified defence through the Financial Industry Command Security Operations Centre (FIXOC).
Mr Nartey George lauded the BoG for embracing technology and integrating it into the core of banking operations.
He stated that banks, once conservative and technology-averse, were now viewing digital tools as central to their business models.
“The attacks that we face in the sector are vast, and no one institution can withstand them alone; our collective shield protects us all,” he said.
He added that the ministry was reviewing the list of critical information infrastructure to ensure all payment service providers and fintechs were properly designated and onboarded.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh