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Ghana Strengthens Cyber Defences with Successful Third Edition of National Cyber Drill

The 2025 National Cyber Drill, a key event under NCSAM2025 organised by the National Computer Emergency Response Team (National CERT), aimed to bolster capacity among sectoral CERTs and cybersecurity organisations, enhancing Ghana’s readiness to counter escalating cyber threats.

Held in Accra, the drill featured international facilitators from the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), including African Liaison, Mr Lawrence Muchilwa and Shadow Server Foundation Director, Mr Andy Chadwick. Attendees included representatives from the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), National Communications Authority (NCA), Digital Jewels, Margin ID, e-Crime Bureau, and the Ghana Police Cybercrime Unit. Notable speakers were the acting Deputy Director-General for Technical Operations at the CSA, Mr Stephen Cudjoe-Seshie, and Rt Hon Stephen McPartland, CREST Ambassador and former UK national security minister.

In his welcome address, Mr Cudjoe-Seshie, highlighted Ghana’s progress under the Cybersecurity Act 2020, amid 3,286 reported cyber incidents causing GHS 19.3 million in losses, primarily in the government, banking, and health sectors. He stressed the drill’s role in testing coordinated responses to AI-driven threats and fostering collaboration with licensed service providers

Rt Hon Stephen McPartland, CREST Ambassador and former UK national security minister, emphasised cybersecurity’s link to national resilience and economic stability. He noted global cyberattack costs exceeding $2 trillion annually and vulnerabilities in supply chains, even in advanced economies like the UK, where over 99% of businesses were small enterprises with limited defences.

The hands-on training, led by Mr Muchilwa, focused on platforms like the Malware Information Sharing Platform (MISP) and IntelMQ. Participants practised Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) principles, Indicators of Compromise (IOC) discovery, threat intelligence automation, and real-time data analysis to improve detection and response efficiency.

Key outcomes included the value of structured intelligence sharing, seamless sectoral coordination, and regional platforms like ECOWAS for cross-border threats. Areas for improvement encompassed better CERT integration, automated reporting, and inter-agency validation.