NCA Engages Mobile Money Agents on Fraud, Network Disruptions and SIM Registration

In a decisive move to safeguard Ghana’s digital financial ecosystem, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has engaged the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana in high-level talks aimed at addressing the growing threats of mobile money fraud, frequent network disruptions, and concerns over the upcoming SIM registration exercise.

The meeting, held at the NCA headquarters in Accra, brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on issues affecting over 12,000 registered mobile money agents nationwide and to strengthen collaboration for a more secure and reliable mobile money ecosystem.

Leading the MMAAG delegation, the Association’s General Secretary, Evans Otumfuor, underscored the critical role mobile money agents play in advancing financial inclusion. However, he warned that mounting challenges threaten both agent operations and customer trust, citing:

• Escalating mobile money fraud and sophisticated cyberattacks on agents and customers.

• Cross-platform transaction failures undermining service reliability.

• Unregulated SIM card pricing, causing inconsistencies across the market.

• Persistent network disruptions that affect mobile money services nationwide.

The executives also requested clarity on the upcoming SIM registration exercise announced by the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation and called for deeper policy engagement with the NCA to ensure a smooth rollout.

Addressing the concerns, NCA Director-General, Edmund Fianko, assured MMAAG of the Authority’s dedication to resolving industry challenges within its mandate. He disclosed that the NCA is working closely with the National Identification Authority (NIA) to make the upcoming SIM registration exercise simpler, faster, and more efficient, while fixing the shortcomings identified during the previous registration drive.

On the issue of mobile money fraud and cybersecurity threats, Fianko urged MMAAG to collaborate with the Cyber Security Authority to design a comprehensive anti-fraud strategy that protects both agents and customers.

He further committed to investigating other concerns raised and pledged to involve mobile money agents in future policy initiatives to ensure that their perspectives influence decision-making.

The meeting ended with both parties agreeing to strengthen collaboration to:

• Bolster consumer confidence in mobile money services.

• Enhance network reliability and service delivery.

• Secure Ghana’s digital financial ecosystem for agents, customers, and service providers alike.

Present at the session were Deputy Director-General in charge of Technical Operations, Sulemana Salifu, and senior management members of the NCA.