The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has imposed an administrative penalty of GH¢360,000 on Ernst & Young (EY) Ghana for providing cybersecurity services without a valid Cybersecurity Service Provider (CSP) licence.
A statement issued by the Authority in Accra said the action followed EY Ghana’s continued provision of cybersecurity services, including services to owners of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), despite repeated directives from the CSA requiring compliance with the licensing regime under the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038).
The CSA said it had specifically directed EY Ghana, by correspondence dated March 20, 2026, to submit an application for a CSP licence within fifteen days, but the Authority subsequently determined that the company failed to comply with three separate regulatory directives.
It said the conduct constituted a breach of Sections 49 and 92 of Act 1038, which prohibit the provision of regulated cybersecurity services without the requisite licence and provide sanctions for failure to comply with directives issued by the Authority.
Pursuant to Sections 49(2), 92(2) and 93 of the Act, the CSA imposed a penalty of 10,000 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢120,000, for each of the three instances of non-compliance, resulting in the total administrative penalty of GH¢360,000. EY Ghana has been directed to pay the penalty within fourteen calendar days from the date of the final enforcement directive.
With immediate effect, EY Ghana has also been directed to cease and desist from providing all regulated cybersecurity services without the requisite licence, including Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) services; provide written confirmation to the CSA that the affected services have ceased; and complete the application process for a Cybersecurity Service Provider licence.
The Authority emphasised that an application for a licence does not confer a licence to operate as a Cybersecurity Service Provider, stressing that entities are required to obtain the requisite licence from the CSA before commencing the provision of regulated cybersecurity services.
In a related statement, the CSA issued a strong warning to all institutions and service providers, noting that compliance was particularly critical where cybersecurity services were provided to owners of Critical Information Infrastructure, given that the security and resilience of such systems were essential to Ghana’s national security, economy and delivery of essential services.
The Authority made clear that the size, reputation, expertise or clientele of a service provider does not exempt it from Ghana’s cybersecurity laws, noting that all Cybersecurity Service Providers operating in the country are subject to the same regulatory requirements under Act 1038 and directives issued by the CSA.
It said it would continue to monitor compliance and take enforcement action against both institutions that engage unlicensed providers and entities that provide cybersecurity services without the requisite licence, adding that such action may, where necessary, include administrative sanctions, court proceedings and publication of the names of unlicensed service providers, as permitted by law.
The CSA further urged organisations, particularly owners of Critical Information Infrastructure, to ensure that cybersecurity services are procured only from appropriately licensed service providers, stressing that cybersecurity licensing is a legal requirement, not an administrative formality.
The Authority said it remained committed to protecting Ghana’s digital ecosystem and would use its regulatory powers to ensure that organisations entrusted with critical systems and sensitive information meet their cybersecurity obligations. Organisations requiring clarification on licensing requirements or the scope of regulated cybersecurity services were advised to contact the Cyber Security Authority.
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