Parliament Passes Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill 2025

The Parliament of Ghana has passed the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, introducing sweeping reforms to the country’s national security framework.

The new legislation grants the President authority to assign oversight of national security to a designated minister, while eliminating the substantive position of a Minister for National Security.

As part of the reforms, the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) will be renamed the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), reflecting a shift in focus within the intelligence structure.

The law also establishes a comprehensive legal framework for the operations of the National Security Council and formally creates Regional and District Security Councils to enhance coordination at the local level.

In addition, the bill clearly defines the roles of key state institutions responsible for implementing government security policies, addressing both internal and external threats.

A major highlight of the legislation is the formal establishment of the Office of the National Security Coordinator as a central component of the security architecture, tasked with improving coordination and efficiency among intelligence agencies.

Under the new arrangement, the National Security Council—chaired by the President—will work closely with the Coordinator’s office and heads of intelligence agencies to streamline operations.

The law also seeks to harmonise the functions of the various security bodies and replaces the existing Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030), in line with current government policy.