The government of Ghana has announced plans to rename the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) as the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) under the proposed Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025.
Speaking at Parliament on Thursday, February 19, the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, said the move is intended to eliminate confusion associated with the NIB acronym, which is often mistaken for the National Investment Bank.
He noted that the overlap is inconsistent with legal standards governing the distinct identification of security institutions.
He explained that globally, security agencies maintain unique acronyms to avoid ambiguity.
“Anywhere in the world, the acronyms of security agencies are legally distinct to avoid confusion. Unfortunately, when you say NIB, people are unsure whether you mean a bank or a security agency. By introducing BNI, the Bureau of National Intelligence, we address this issue,” he stated.
Mr. Muntaka added that the renaming forms part of broader reforms aimed at streamlining Ghana’s security architecture under the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025.
The Bill also proposes the abolition of the specific position of Minister for National Security.
Under the new arrangement, the President would designate a Minister to exercise oversight responsibility over the National Security Coordinator.
However, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has strongly opposed the proposed legislation.
He cautioned that the Bill could concentrate excessive authority within the National Security apparatus and potentially open the door to abuses of citizens’ rights, describing it as a matter of serious political concern.
