Parliament passes Security Bill, NIB renamed back to BNI

Parliament has passed the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, approving it after its third reading.

The new law reshapes Ghana’s security structure, including restoring the National Investigations Bureau’s former name, Bureau of National Intelligence, to avoid confusion with the similarly named National Investment Bank.

It also removes the standalone Minister for National Security role.

Instead, a minister appointed by the President will oversee the National Security Coordinator, a move Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak said would reduce institutional friction and streamline decision-making.

Despite its passage, the bill faced strong resistance from the Minority, who warned it concentrates too much power in the hands of the National Security Coordinator and weakens parliamentary oversight.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin argued there was no clear evidence that the existing system required such sweeping changes.