Ghana Bans Ghana Card Photocopies for Biometric Verification

The National Identification Authority (NIA) began a nationwide crackdown on the illegal photocopying, scanning, and retention of Ghana Cards on November 3, 2026. Under the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), all public and private institutions must now use approved digital biometric systems to authenticate identities rather than relying on visual inspections or physical copies.

This enforcement follows a three-month grace period announced in July 2026 by Interior Minister Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, which expired on November 2. To ensure compliance, the NIA is deploying a Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force to inspect businesses. Service providers that fail to connect to the NIA's biometric platform face prosecution and fines of up to GH¢24,000, or between 500 and 2,000 penalty units, along with potential surcharges of 20 percent of annual verification fees.

To support small businesses and individuals who cannot meet the Data Protection Commission's certification requirements for the main platform, the NIA is launching a mobile application. This app will provide a simple "yes or no" identity confirmation for transactions such as land sales. The NIA clarified that the Ghana Card remains the official identity document and citizens are not required to re-register.