The Serious Fraud Office was created by an Act of Parliament, The Serious Fraud Office Act, 1993 (Act 466) as part of the Public Services of Ghana. The SFO was established as a specialised agency to monitor, investigate and, on authority of the Attorney-General, prosecute any offence involving serious financial or economic loss to the State.

The SFO’s creation was a result of determined effort, by government, to fight economic crime through coordination, cooperation and interaction. The type of offences described as serious or complex frauds relate to white collar or economic crimes.