Dr. Apaak: Ghana Needs Digital Infrastructure Data Security Ownership

• Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, emphasized Ghana's urgent need to own its digital infrastructure for data security and independence.
• He warned that the nation's reliance on foreign digital systems creates significant vulnerabilities and compromises national safety.
• These remarks were made at the 2026 Break the Code: Capture the Flag (BrCTF) event, which aims to develop cybersecurity talent.
• Experts highlighted the importance of practical digital skills in education and building a national talent pipeline to protect critical information infrastructure.
• Cybersecurity is now recognized as a critical issue impacting Ghana's economy, education, national security, and employment sectors.

Ghana's security is compromised when critical information and digital operations are heavily dependent on infrastructure located outside its borders.

Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, Ghana's Deputy Minister of Education, recently underscored the critical necessity for the nation to independently develop and control its digital infrastructure, systems, and expertise. This strategic imperative, he argued, is fundamental for ensuring robust data protection and achieving genuine digital independence. He highlighted that Ghana's current reliance on foreign digital frameworks introduces significant vulnerabilities, thereby impeding the country's efforts to cultivate a resilient digital economy that truly serves its national interests.

These pivotal statements were delivered during his address in Accra at the 2026 Break the Code: Capture the Flag (BrCTF) event. This three-day gathering, which took place from October 22 to 24, was designed to foster advancements in cybersecurity through a series of competitive challenges, technical workshops, and discussions focused on digital employment opportunities. Dr. Apaak specifically urged young cybersecurity professionals to play a vital role in enhancing Ghana's capacity to secure its digital domain.

Dr. Apaak articulated a vision where Ghana's ambitions extend beyond merely being consumers of technology; the nation must cultivate professionals capable of creating, securing, and managing indigenous digital systems. He firmly stated, "We must own our own systems and own our own information," issuing a stark warning that Ghana's security is compromised when critical information and digital operations are heavily dependent on infrastructure located outside its borders. This external reliance, he cautioned, means the nation is "not as safe as we pretend."

To mitigate these Ghana data protection vulnerabilities, he advocated for a significant transformation within the educational system. This shift, he explained, should prioritize practical competencies over traditional certificates and examinations, thereby effectively preparing young people for employment opportunities both within Ghana and in the broader global digital economy. Key areas identified for skilled professionals include cybersecurity, software engineering, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital financial services, and fraud prevention. He further illustrated this by emphasizing that cybersecurity students should be equipped to investigate incidents, software developers to build solutions, and data analysts to convert information into actionable insights.

Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, further reinforced the importance of early exposure to foundational digital skills. She noted that introducing coding, artificial intelligence, robotics, computational thinking, and digital safety at an early stage would be instrumental in fostering a robust pipeline of Ghana cybersecurity strategy professionals. Professor Dzisi stressed that true success in this endeavor should be measured not solely by the number of individuals trained, but by their demonstrated practical abilities, attainment of certifications, securing internships and employment, or the successful establishment of new businesses.

Supporting this national capacity-building effort, Mr. Felix Boateng, the Programme Lead for BrCTF, explained that the competition provides a hands-on environment for developing ethical hackers and digital defenders. This initiative is crucial for Ghana to effectively withstand evolving cyber threats. The BrCTF's broader objective is to cultivate a national talent pool capable of protecting Ghana critical information infrastructure and supporting the nation's digital transformation, with an ambitious long-term goal of nurturing a community of one million skilled individuals. He encouraged participants to leverage the competition to hone their abilities, irrespective of their final standings, and acknowledged the vital support from partners, sponsors, and mentors.

Professor Dzisi additionally highlighted that cybersecurity has evolved beyond its technical domain to become a critical issue impacting the economy, education, national security, and employment. This is particularly relevant as essential sectors such as banking, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, telecommunications providers, and government bodies increasingly rely on secure digital systems for their daily operations. The collective emphasis from these leaders points to a strategic national effort to bolster Ghana digital infrastructure data security ownership and achieve greater digital independence.

This clear governmental intent to prioritize national ownership of digital systems signals significant upcoming legislative and policy developments. Compliance officers and legal counsel operating in Ghana should closely monitor these changes, especially those pertaining to data localization, critical infrastructure protection, and new cybersecurity standards. Such policy shifts could profoundly affect requirements for data storage, processing, and cross-border data flows for businesses, necessitating a thorough review of existing digital infrastructure dependencies and vendor agreements to ensure adherence to the evolving regulatory landscape.

Compliance officers and legal counsel in Ghana should monitor upcoming legislative and policy developments related to data localization, critical infrastructure protection, and cybersecurity standards, as the government signals a strong intent to prioritize national ownership of digital systems. This could impact data storage, processing, and cross-border data flow requirements for businesses, necessitating a review of current digital infrastructure dependencies and vendor agreements.

Source: Original reporting via Ghanaian Times