The government is seeking to rename the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) back to the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) as part of major reforms captured in the proposed Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025.
The Interior Minister, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, said the move is designed to eliminate persistent public confusion over the NIB acronym, which is frequently mistaken for the National Investment Bank.
Addressing Parliament of Ghana on Thursday, January 19, 2026, the minister emphasized that clarity in the naming of security institutions is essential for professionalism and public trust.
“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.
According to him, overlapping institutional acronyms fall short of international best practices and undermine institutional identity.
Beyond the proposed name change, the bill introduces significant structural reforms to Ghana’s security governance framework.
A key proposal is the abolition of the standalone position of Minister of National Security. Under the new structure, the President would instead designate a minister to oversee the National Security Coordinator, effectively dissolving the dedicated portfolio.
The move signals a broader recalibration of how national security oversight is organized at the executive level.
However, the proposed reforms have sparked political pushback.
Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has publicly opposed the bill, warning that the changes could centralize excessive authority within the National Security apparatus.
He cautioned that concentrating power in a single structure could create room for potential abuse and threaten civil liberties.
As debate intensifies in Parliament, the Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025, is emerging as one of the most closely watched security reform measures in recent years.
With implications for institutional structure, executive oversight, and citizens’ rights, the outcome of the bill could significantly reshape Ghana’s national security architecture.