Institutions that still photocopy Ghana Cards to verify customers could soon face prosecution. The National Identification Authority (NIA) and its Biometric Verification Taskforce began nationwide enforcement of a ban on photocopying and visual checks of the card on Monday, November 2, 2026, according to a report by Graphic Online.
Under the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), photocopying or visually inspecting a Ghana Card "for the purpose of a transaction is a criminal offence," the report says. There are no exemptions.
Instead, institutions must use the NIA Identity Verification System Platform to verify customers' identities biometrically, for example by checking fingerprints or facial data against the national register.
Institutions found in breach face summary conviction and fines of 500 to 2,000 penalty units, according to Graphic Online. At GH¢12 per penalty unit, that means fines of GH¢6,000 to GH¢24,000 for corporate bodies.
Individuals who break the regulations face fines of between GH¢600 and GH¢6,000.
The NIA has urged all institutions that verify identity to join its verification platform immediately to avoid prosecution, Graphic Online reports. The taskforce has the power to pursue violators.
For years, Ghanaians have been asked to hand over photocopies of their Ghana Cards when opening bank accounts, registering SIM cards, applying for jobs or accessing services. Those copies often end up in files, drawers and offices with little protection.
Security experts have long warned that this practice exposes people to identity theft and fraud, as copies can be misused to impersonate cardholders. Biometric verification is designed to confirm that the person presenting the card is its genuine holder, without leaving copies of personal documents lying around.
The Ghana Card, issued by the NIA, is the country's national identity card and has become the main form of ID for a wide range of services, including banking, mobile money, SIM registration, passport applications, taxes and health insurance. It carries a unique Personal Identification Number for each holder.
The NIA has also been modernising other services, including online applications for card replacements and new premium registration centres, as reported earlier by Talk Talk.
With biometric verification, an institution captures a customer's fingerprint or facial image and checks it against the details stored in the National Identity Register through the NIA's platform. If the details match, the person's identity is confirmed in real time. Supporters say this is far more reliable than simply comparing a photocopy with a person's face, which can be easily fooled.
For institutions, the new rules mean investing in or connecting to biometric verification systems and training staff to use them. Smaller businesses that rely on photocopies may face the biggest adjustment.
For customers, the change could mean faster and more secure transactions, as well as fewer requests to hand over copies of their personal documents.
The move fits into broader efforts to protect personal data in Ghana. The Data Protection Act requires organisations that collect personal information to keep it secure and use it only for lawful purposes. Piles of photocopied ID cards in offices have long been seen as one of the weakest links in that system.
The report did not say how many institutions have already joined the NIA platform, what it costs to connect, or how the taskforce will monitor compliance across the country.
Attention will now turn to how strictly the taskforce enforces the rules and whether the first prosecutions follow. Consumers who are asked for photocopies of their Ghana Cards may also start asking institutions whether they are complying with the new law.
