MIIF, CSA explore partnership to strengthen cybersecurity in minerals sector

The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) have agreed to explore areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening cybersecurity systems and protecting critical digital infrastructure within Ghana’s minerals sector.

The agreement was reached when the Director-General of the CSA, Divine Selase Agbeti, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to MIIF, where they engaged the Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Justina Nelson, and management on opportunities for collaboration.

The partnership is expected to contribute to strengthening the resilience of digital systems within the minerals ecosystem and promote greater awareness of cybersecurity risks among institutions and stakeholders in the sector.  

In her welcome remarks, Mrs. Nelson commended the CSA for its proactive engagement with State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to promote compliance with cybersecurity requirements and ensure that their systems and technologies remain secure and up to date.

She said such engagements were particularly important as state institutions increasingly relied on digital technologies and interconnected systems to deliver their mandates.

“You can leverage on the SOEs to make an impact. It is about time you took charge of the space. I am happy to receive you and to know more about areas where we can collaborate,” Mrs. Nelson said.

The CEO also expressed MIIF’s readiness to work with the CSA, while encouraging the Authority to help institutions better understand and navigate the regulatory environment surrounding cybersecurity.

For his part, Mr. Agbeti commended MIIF for its investments in technology, digital infrastructure and security systems aimed at protecting the Fund and its operations.

“I have followed MIIF and know the systems you have put in place. If all SOEs can do what you are doing, my job will be much easier,” he said.

The CSA Director-General stressed the growing threat posed by cybercrime and urged institutions across the public sector to strengthen their information technology systems to safeguard critical infrastructure, information and data.

“Cybercrime is a fight we can all take on as individuals and institutions. Nobody is immune and it happens to everyone, so let’s stay alert. Fraud is becoming more sophisticated and we all need to stay alert,” he cautioned.

Mr. Agbeti said the minerals sector was particularly important given MIIF’s position at the intersection of finance and the country’s mineral resources, adding that a collaborative approach was necessary to strengthen cybersecurity across the sector.

“MIIF sits at the intersection of mineral resources and finance and we believe in a collaborative approach to ensure that the minerals sector is safe for all of us. We are here for partnership. We are here to work together,” he said.

The engagement concluded with both institutions agreeing to collaborate in areas including capacity building, cybersecurity awareness and knowledge sharing, while leveraging their respective strengths to improve preparedness against emerging cyber threats.