The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has defended the National Information Technology Agency’s (NITA) enforcement of registration fees, certification requirements and compliance obligations for ICT firms, fintechs and digital service providers amid growing backlash within Ghana’s technology ecosystem.

His remarks follow the controversy surrounding claims by some technology professionals and digital businesses that NITA is attempting to enforce provisions of a proposed law that has not yet been passed by Parliament.

According to a Facebook post by the Minister on Sunday, May 24, 2026, he debunked suggestions that the Agency is acting outside its mandate, insisting that the enforcement measures are backed by existing laws already in force.

“The Ministry is simply ENFORCING existing legislation that has been on our books since 2008, 2023 and 2025. The proposed new legislation has NOT even been laid before Parliament,” he stated.

However, he described allegations against NITA as “spurious,” accusing some critics of jumping onto “bandwagon trends” without fully understanding the legal framework governing the Agency’s operations.

According to him, the enforcement regime is grounded in the National Information Technology Agency Act, 2008 (Act 771), the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act 772), the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2481), as well as the 2025 amendment, L.I. 2512.

Sam George further challenged critics to identify any specific enforcement action by NITA that falls outside the scope of existing law.

His comments also follow a formal clarification issued by NITA after mounting social media criticism of the Agency’s registration requirements and fee structures.

NITA had earlier maintained that the current regulatory framework predates the proposed NITA Bill, which is currently under stakeholder consultation, and is already supported by Legislative Instruments passed by Parliament.

“The suggestion that NITA ‘manufactured tomorrow’s powers today’ ignores the existence of these already operative legal instruments,” the Agency stated.

Despite concerns from some industry players, the government says it remains committed to tightening oversight within the technology sector.

“We have a country to build, and we will ensure enforcement and sanity in our technology space,” Sam George declared.

The controversy has sparked concern among startups, fintech operators, and digital service providers, many of whom fear that rising compliance costs could negatively affect innovation and ease of doing business in Ghana’s growing digital economy.

ANAS/SEA

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