Parliament has approved the National Defence University(NDU) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the establishment of a specialised institution to consolidate Ghana’s defence and security education under one academic framework.
The proposed National Defence University(NDU) will serve as Ghana’s premier institution for defence and security studies, with a mandate to provide teaching, research, professional training and policy development.
The university is expected to offer diploma, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes for military personnel, security professionals and civilians involved in defence and security-related fields in Ghana and across the African continent.
The passage of the Bill represents the culmination of more than two decades of efforts by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to create an independent higher education institution focused on defence and security matters.
Over the years, institutions such as the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, the National College of Defence Studies and military health institutions have provided advanced training programmes accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
However, these institutions have depended on partnerships with public universities to award academic qualifications.
Following an assessment of the military’s academic institutions, programmes and facilities, GTEC recommended that the proposed university be granted a Presidential Charter through the Ministry of Education and registered under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).
The charter, once granted, will empower the university to award its own certificates, diplomas and degrees for programmes accredited by GTEC.
The President subsequently directed the Ministry of Defence and the Military High Command to undertake the necessary processes to establish the university in accordance with the law.
In its report to Parliament, the Joint Committee described the legislation as a significant milestone in strengthening defence and security education in Ghana.
The Committee said the new institution would provide the legal foundation to integrate existing military training institutions into a single, internationally recognised university capable of advancing research, innovation, professional development and strategic policy formulation.
It further noted that the establishment of the National Defence University would enhance Ghana’s national security capacity while contributing to regional peace and stability.
