The National Identification Authority (NIA) has assured Ghanaians that the implementation of the National Identity Register Amendment Regulation, 2026 (L.I. 2523), will not require new Ghana Cards or fresh biometric registration.
Head of the NIA Corporate Affairs Directorate, Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, said the regulation changes how identities are verified, making biometric checks mandatory rather than relying solely on visual inspection of cards.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, he explained that existing Ghana Cards would remain valid and continue to serve as the country's official national identity document.
He said biometric verification would use fingerprints, iris details and facial features already captured during registration and stored on the card's embedded chip.
Mr Darlas clarified that cards issued in 2018, for example, would remain valid until 2028 under the 10-year validity period. The NIA would announce renewal arrangements when necessary.
He also explained that presenting a physical Ghana Card for biometric verification was permitted. However, photocopying, scanning, or relying on visual inspection alone would not satisfy the new requirements.
The regulation also applies to individuals involved in transactions requiring identity confirmation, including land transactions.
To support individuals and small businesses without access to the NIA verification platform, the Authority has developed a mobile application that provides a simple yes-or-no identity confirmation without revealing personal information.
Mr Darlas urged the public to report institutions that violate the regulation through the Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force hotline at 030-2999-309.
