In a major move to tighten national security and stomp out identity theft, Ghana has officially banned businesses and institutions from accepting paper photocopies or conducting simple visual checks of the national identity card. Instead, organizations must now use a dedicated biometric mobile application to verify the “Ghana Card.”
For years, many establishments relied on quick visual inspections or kept physical photocopies of the card on file. However, this loophole made it remarkably easy for fraudsters to impersonate others.
The plastic, chip-embedded Ghana Card is a cornerstone of daily life in the West African nation. Over the last decade, it has become absolutely essential for accessing basic services, including:
Opening and managing bank accounts
Registering SIM cards
Obtaining driver’s licenses and passports
Because the card, managed by the National Identification Authority (NIA), contains highly secure biometric data, including ten fingerprints, iris scans, a digital signature, and a photograph, the government is now forcing institutions to actually utilize this data. Verifiers must now scan the card using a mobile phone app that instantly cross-references the biometric records.
The shift is no longer just a recommendation; it is the law.
”It is now an offence to photocopy or visually inspect a Ghana Card for the purpose of transaction. Biometric verification is now mandatory,” said Wisdom Yayra Koku Deku, the NIA chief, in a statement.
The NIA is not taking compliance lightly. Entities and individuals who refuse to transition to the digital verification app face steep consequences:
Organizations: Face prosecution and fines of up to 24,000 Ghanaian cedis (approximately $2,100 or £1,550).
Individuals: Risk fines reaching up to 6,000 Ghanaian cedis (around $525 or £390).
The agency has strongly urged all businesses and institutions not yet linked to the digital identity verification platform to begin the integration process immediately.
Deku also noted that the government will soon host public briefings to detail the implementation of these amended regulations and guide the public through the transition.
