The National Identification Authority (NIA) has prohibited public and private institutions from photocopying, scanning or retaining copies of Ghana Cards for identification purposes under new regulations aimed at strengthening identity verification and protecting citizens’ personal information.
The directive, contained in Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2523, requires institutions to adopt approved biometric verification methods instead of relying solely on visual inspection or physical copies of the national identity card to authenticate individuals.
The Head of the Corporate Affairs Directorate of the NIA, Mr Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, announced this at a press briefing on Monday, November 2, 2026, warning that institutions engaging in such practices would be violating the law.
“With L.I. 2523, institutions must no longer rely solely on visual inspection of the Ghana Card to establish the identity of cardholders,” he said.
He explained that the regulation specifically prohibits institutions from photocopying, scanning or retaining copies of the Ghana Card for identification purposes. “If you visit any institution to secure a service and they require a photocopy of the Ghana Card, they are going against L.I. 2523, which is punishable by law,” Mr Darlas cautioned.
He, however, clarified that the regulation does not prevent institutions from requesting physical Ghana Cards for transactions requiring biometric verification.
Using telecommunications companies as an example, he explained that service providers could still request customers to present their cards for machine-based verification, during which fingerprints captured from the individual are matched against the biometric information stored on the card.
“That is allowed by electronic verification and that can only be done when you present the physical Ghana Card,” he said.
Mr Darlas further stressed that the new requirements do not mean citizens must obtain replacement cards or undergo fresh biometric registration.
“We are not changing the Ghana Card. So individuals in possession of the Ghana Card must not be afraid that there are new changes and so they have to get a new Ghana Card,” he assured.
According to him, the existing cards contain biometric information, including fingerprints and other identifying features, which can be used to authenticate cardholders. The NIA said the new measures were intended to combat impersonation and identity fraud, which it identified as major concerns in the country’s identity verification system.
Mr Darlas urged institutions that rely on the Ghana Card to review their existing verification arrangements and ensure that their operations comply with the new requirements. The implementation of L.I. 2523 follows a three-month grace period during which the NIA undertook public education campaigns and engagements with public and private institutions to prepare them for the new regulations.
The Authority has also announced plans to deploy a biometric verification implementation task force to monitor institutions and ensure compliance.
By Jesse Otoo
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