Parliament has passed the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, officially restoring the name Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) to the agency that had been operating as the National Investigations Bureau (NIB).
The legislation, which was approved on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, introduces several significant reforms aimed at reshaping Ghana’s national security architecture and improving coordination among security agencies.
Presenting the bill earlier on February 19, the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, explained that the reversion to the BNI name was necessary to eliminate public confusion, as many people frequently mistook “NIB” for the National Investment Bank.
The bill faced strong opposition from the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who argued that the reforms could concentrate too much power in the security apparatus and potentially undermine civil liberties. He described the changes as politically sensitive.
Key provisions of the new law include:
- A legal directive that any reference to the Bureau of National Investigations, National Intelligence Bureau, or internal intelligence agency in existing laws or documents shall now be construed as referring to the Bureau of National Intelligence.
- The President is now empowered to appoint a minister to supervise the National Security Coordinator, effectively removing the need for a standalone Minister for National Security.
- A clearer and more detailed legal framework for the National Security Council.
- Formal integration and strengthening of Regional and District Security Councils to improve coordination at all levels of governance.
- Official establishment of the Office of the National Security Coordinator as a central institution within the intelligence system.
The bill also repeals the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030), aligning the legal framework with the current government’s national security reforms.
Supporters of the bill argue that the changes will bring clarity, efficiency, and better coordination to Ghana’s security apparatus. Critics, however, maintain that it risks over-centralisation of power.
The Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, is expected to be transmitted to the President for assent in the coming days.
