The Government of Ghana has proposed renaming the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) as the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) to streamline the country’s security architecture and reduce confusion over agency acronyms.
Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka explained in Parliament that the current acronym, NIB, is often mistaken for the National Investment Bank, leading to public and institutional misunderstandings. “Everywhere in the world, you make sure that the acronyms for the security agencies do not match any other thing,” he said. The proposed BNI, he noted, will clearly reflect the agency’s intelligence mandate while preserving continuity.
The renaming is part of broader reforms under the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, which also seeks to abolish the standalone Ministry for National Security. Instead, the President would assign a Minister to oversee the National Security Coordinator, reducing overlapping responsibilities and improving coordination within the security sector.
While the government argues that the changes will enhance efficiency, the Parliamentary Minority has raised concerns about potential lapses in oversight. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin warned that concentrating authority in the National Security Coordinator’s office could weaken accountability and recommended clear mechanisms to safeguard governance and citizens’ rights.
Parliament is expected to continue detailed deliberations on the Bill, weighing the benefits of improved operational efficiency against concerns over oversight and transparency.