Ghana: Ghana National Fire Service (Gnfs) Goes Digital

What the report says

Ghana’s National Fire Service has launched a nationwide digital compliance platform called the Automated Fire Compliance and Safety System, or AFCAS, according to Ghanaian Times via AllAfrica. The rollout was announced in a press statement dated August 28, 2026, and is intended to modernize how fire permits, fire certificates and equipment tagging are handled across the country.

The service says the new system will replace paper-heavy procedures with online applications, digital inspections and scannable QR-coded certificates. It also combines several functions in one platform, including tracking fire equipment, certification of officers, licensing of fire-safety providers, and digital surveillance for high-risk sites. The GNFS says the change should reduce processing time and create a real-time record of compliance for buildings and equipment nationwide.

The article links the move to a series of major fires in Ghana, including incidents at Kantamanto Market in Accra and Kejetia Market in Kumasi, as well as other market and commercial fires. Those events, the report says, exposed weaknesses in a system that has long relied on manual inspections and paper certificates. The new rules require property owners, occupiers and vehicle owners to use the AFCAS portal, while businesses and local government procurement units are told to work only with licensed contractors.

The initiative also reflects the agenda of Chief Fire Officer Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, who is identified in the report as the first woman to lead the service. More broadly, the development signals a shift toward prevention, accountability and digital recordkeeping in Ghana’s fire-safety regime.