CSA urges universities in Ghana to tighten cybersecurity after UK breach

Operators of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) across Ghana, particularly universities and other educational institutions, have been urged to fully comply with the Directive for the Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) following a major cyber-attack on the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

The incident reportedly exposed the personal and financial data of approximately 450,000 students and alumni.

In a statement released on June 16, 2026, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) said the incident underscores a growing global reality: no institution, regardless of its size or technological sophistication, is immune to cyber threats.

"The University of Nottingham incident should serve as a reminder that no educational institution, regardless of its size, reputation, or technological sophistication, is immune to cyber threats," it stated.

The CSA said that while the incident occurred outside Ghana, its implications are highly relevant to the country’s rapidly digitising education sector, as well as other critical sectors.

"While the breach may have occurred thousands of miles away from Ghana, its implications are relevant to our education sector and other CII sectors, such as Health, Telecommunications, and Transportation," the statement said.

To strengthen resilience, the CSA reiterated mandatory requirements under the CII Directive. These include the establishment of cybersecurity governance structures, regular risk assessments, implementation of robust security controls, prompt incident reporting, periodic audits, and the development of effective incident response and recovery plans.

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The Authority urged all CII operators to act swiftly, warning that non-compliance would not be tolerated given the national security implications of cyber vulnerabilities.

"The Directive encourages organisations to establish cybersecurity governance structures, conduct risk assessments, implement security controls, report incidents, perform regular audits, and develop robust incident response capabilities to reduce the likelihood and impact of cyber-attacks," it added.

See the full statement below:

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