Ghana has made biometric verification the required method for organizations checking a Ghana Card, replacing routine visual inspection and the collection of photocopies or scans. The rule directs covered institutions to use the National Identification Authority’s Identity Verification System Platform or an approved match-on-card device.
The requirement comes from the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, designated L.I. 2523. The regulations took effect June 9, while a transition period from July 27 through November 2 gives institutions time to install systems, connect to the platform and train staff.
Banks, telecommunications companies, hospitals, schools and government agencies are among the organizations being urged to complete onboarding. They may no longer request, retain or reproduce a Ghana Card photocopy or scanned image as their identity-verification method.
Biometric checking establishes whether the person presenting the credential matches its enrolled holder. Approved match-on-card devices can perform that comparison using data secured on the card, while the NIA platform supports verification through the national identity infrastructure.
The Interior Ministry says organizations that fail to comply can face fines and have access to the verification platform suspended or terminated. Individuals who misuse the card or obstruct a lawful check may also face penalties, including possible imprisonment.
The change tightens operational controls around a credential that has continued to gain functions. The Ghana Card recently added an embedded payment wallet, extending its role beyond identification and travel use.
Ghana’s approach places the identity decision on a biometric match rather than on an employee’s inspection of a card image. It also reduces the number of organizations holding duplicate copies of a national credential, although participating institutions still need appropriate controls for verification records and other personal information.
The NIA plans to create compliance teams to monitor implementation and investigate reported breaches. The program adds to the broader expansion of national identity infrastructure in West Africa, including The Gambia’s recently launched system.
Cardholders are being encouraged to insist on a biometric check when an organization asks to verify their identity. That guidance gives individuals a role in the transition, while compliance teams and platform-access penalties provide the enforcement mechanism for institutions.
Source: Ghana Ministry of the Interior
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
