The National Identification Authority (NIA) says it will from tomorrow begin enforcing the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, LI 2523, which outlaws the photocopying, scanning and visual-only verification of the Ghana Card.

Head of Corporate Affairs at the NIA, Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, announced at a press briefing in Accra today that the three-month grace period granted by the sector Minister, Muntaka Mubarak, in July has elapsed.

"Today is 2nd November, 2026, which marks the deadline for the grace period given by the minister," Darlas said. "Effective today, visual inspection is no longer acceptable per the dictates of LI 2523."

Under LI 2523, institutions that rely on the Ghana Card to verify identity must use biometric verification methods approved by the NIA.

According to Mr. Darlas, no institution should rely solely on holding the card and looking at the face of the holder to declare them verified.

He stressed that institutions that photocopy, scan or retain copies of the Ghana Card for identity verification are now in breach of the law.

"If you visit any institution to secure a service and they require a photocopy of the Ghana Card, they are going against LI 2523, which is punishable by law, effective today," he said.

Darlas clarified that the regulation does not require Ghanaians to acquire a new Ghana Card.

The Authority says the regulation is to curb impersonation and SIM fraud, where fraudsters use the Ghana Cards of unsuspecting persons to register SIMs and defraud people.

"We are not changing the Ghana Card. To reduce fraud and impersonation, every transaction that requires identification must be done through biometric verification using the old card we have," he explained.

He explained that for the telcos, verification is done through Match-on-Card, where the physical card is inserted into a device and the holder's live fingerprint is matched with the biometric data on the chip.

For banks and other institutions already connected via API to the NIA platform, verification can be done with the Ghana Card number and approved biometric devices.

He cautioned the public not to resist the telcos who ask for the physical card for Match-on-Card verification, describing it as a lawful biometric verification.

The NIA also warned institutions accessing its verification platform through third-party resellers.

"We do not have intermediaries. If you want to get onboarded onto the NIA's verification platform, you get in touch with the NIA directly," Darlas warned.

He said some institutions are using access circulated to them by already onboarded institutions, and that the NIA has such institutions on its radar.

"Such institutions have today, by close of today, 2nd November, to either go off the platform or come to us to get on board legally. If you fail, we will drag you before the law and make sure you are punished," he said.

To be onboarded, an institution must prove it is legally registered in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission, and sign a contract with the NIA after technical integration.

The “Biometric Verification Implementation” task force will commence field compliance monitoring tomorrow, November 3, 2026.