The National Youth Authority (NYA) says it is committed to taking cybersecurity education into communities across Ghana to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to stay safe online.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NYA, Osman Ayariga, said the Authority's nationwide structure provides an opportunity to reach young people across districts with digital safety education and create awareness about the responsible use of technology.

Speaking at ETHOCON 2026, Osman Ayariga said cybercrime must be addressed by combining education with opportunities for young people.

"We will not moralise without offering opportunity because our job is to build the life which we are ready to do," he said.

He called on industry players, cybersecurity professionals and academia to partner with the NYA to expand training, mentorship and career opportunities in the cybersecurity sector.

"The National Youth Authority has the organized young people in this country. We own the organizational machinery; together, we can build a secure, dynamic future," he stated.

Osman Ayariga encouraged young people to see themselves as important actors in protecting Ghana's digital space, stressing that everyone has a role to play in cybersecurity.

"You are not the passengers of Ghana's digital future. You are its drivers, you are its builders, you are its defenders" he emphasised.

He added that cybersecurity provides opportunities for young people regardless of their background or location.

"Cybersecurity is one of the few growing industries where talent can outrun circumstance and geography," Osman Ayariga noted.

He further urged young people not to allow gender or other barriers to discourage them from pursuing careers in the field.

"Don't let anyone tell you cybersecurity has a gender. It does not care whether you are female or male; it has only a standard of excellence, and you are more than capable of meeting that excellence," he stressed.