Omanghana
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has warned that institutions which fail to follow Ghana’s biometric identity verification rules could face prosecution and fines.
The warning follows the end of the transition period for compliance with the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523). The regulations took effect on June 9, 2026, while the grace period for institutions ended on November 2. The NIA said its compliance task force would begin visits on November 3.
What the Rules Require
Institutions required to verify identities for covered services and transactions must use an approved biometric method. These include verification through the NIA’s Identity Verification System Platform or an approved match-on-card process that checks a person’s fingerprint against information stored on the Ghana Card’s chip.
The NIA says organizations must not request, photocopy, scan or retain Ghana Card copies for identity verification, except where permitted by law. Simply looking at a card or relying on a copy is not sufficient for a verification that requires biometrics.
The Authority has also clarified that existing Ghana Cards remain valid and that cardholders do not need to register their biometrics again. A physical card may still be needed where an institution uses an approved match-on-card device.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Institutions that breach the regulations may face criminal and administrative sanctions. The reported penalties include:
- Corporate bodies: A fine of 500 to 2,000 penalty units upon summary conviction, equivalent to GH¢6,000 to GH¢24,000 at GH¢12 per unit.
- Partnerships and other undertakings: A fine of 200 to 1,000 penalty units for each partner or responsible person, as applicable—equivalent to GH¢2,400 to GH¢12,000.
Depending on the circumstances, institutions may also lose access to the NIA verification platform or face a surcharge of up to 20% of annual verification fees.
Compliance Monitoring
The NIA says its Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force will visit institutions to check whether they have adopted the required systems. The rules affect organizations that verify customers’ identities as part of covered services, including financial institutions, telecommunications companies and public agencies.
Source: Omanghana
