Cybersecurity Imperatives For National Development And The Role Of The Academic Community

Abstract

In recent years, Ghana has experienced a rapid expansion of access to the internet. A report published by statista.com on 31st March 2022 indicates that, as of January 2022, the internet penetration rate in Ghana reached 53%, up from 50% in the same month in 2021. Ghana’s economy is largely digitalised but the digitalisation efforts cannot be sustained without cybersecurity. This is because according to the Global Risks Reports 2022, cybersecurity threats are growing; malware and ransomware attacks increased by 358% and 435% respectively in 2020 and are outpacing societies’ ability to effectively prevent or respond to them. Cybersecurity is therefore necessary to reduce the risk of cyberattacks and to protect institutions and the society from cyber harm.

Consequently, Ghana passed a new Cybersecurity Act (Act 1038) in 2020 and the President assented the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) into law on December 29, 2020. In addition, Ghana has implemented a number of interventions which has raised the country’s cybersecurity readiness from 32.6% in 2017 to 86.69% in 2020, rating Ghana the 3rd on the African continent and 43rd globally, according to ITU’s latest Global Cybersecurity Index.

This lecture will examine the current cyber context of – both the domestic and international levels and will explore the various cybersecurity imperatives for Ghana’s developmental agenda. The lecture will highlight Ghana’s current developmental paradigm of which digitalisation is an integral component and will further explore the nexus between cyber resilience and Ghana’s future socio-economic development. Most importantly, the lecture will explore the role of the academia and research institutions in securing Ghana’s cyber future, including the protection of Critical Information Infrastructures.

Both the revised National Cybersecurity Policy & Strategy of Ghana as well as the newly passed Cybersecurity Act, 2020 will provide the framework for discussions and case studies during the lecture. Target participants are members of the academic and research community, industry representatives, government and civil society actors, journalists and students.