Bank of Ghana Makes Ghana Card Mandatory for All Bank Transactions

BoG Issues New Ghana Card Directive

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has issued a revised Supervisory Guidance Note making the Ghana Card the primary—and in most cases the only—identification document for financial transactions in Ghana.

The directive, which took effect immediately in October 2025, was published on the BoG website on January 8, 2026, and replaces the 2022 guidelines.

Who the New Rule Applies To

According to the BoG, all Accountable Institutions (AIs) must now use only the Ghana Card to identify and verify customers during onboarding. This applies to:

• Ghanaian citizens (home and abroad)
• Permanent residents
• Resident ECOWAS nationals
• Foreign directors, shareholders, and non-residents who are signatories to accounts

This marks the first time foreign directors and shareholders are explicitly required to use the Ghana Card.

Ghana Card Now Mandatory for Onboarding

Under the new guidance, financial institutions must:

• Verify customers biometrically using Ghana Card features
• Update customer data directly from the National Identity Authority (NIA) database

Primary data such as name, date of birth, and nationality must be corrected at the NIA, while secondary data like phone numbers and addresses may be updated by institutions.

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Tougher Rules for Digital Banking

The BoG introduced stricter rules for mobile and internet banking, citing higher risks of money laundering and terrorist financing.

For digital and non-face-to-face onboarding:

• Identification must not be risk-based
• Institutions must conduct full biometric verification
• Liveness checks are mandatory

Third-party transactions also require biometric verification, and institutions must keep records of both the verifier and the transaction.

Existing Customers Without Ghana Card

For existing customers, institutions may use a risk-based approach, but customer records must be continuously updated using NIA data.

The guidance states clearly:

“Where a customer has not registered for the Ghana Card, Non-Citizen Identity Card or Refugee Identity Card, the AI shall not undertake any financial transaction.”

Customers without the required ID cannot perform transactions.

Special Provisions for Foreigners and Diplomats

• Foreign non-residents in Ghana for less than 90 days may conduct limited one-off transactions (such as remittances) using an international passport, visa details, and date of entry
• Foreign diplomats and their dependents may continue using diplomatic passports or cards
• Diplomatic Corps members are fully exempt under existing regulations

Handling Verification Failures

The BoG provided detailed guidance on failed biometric verification, including:

• Poor lighting or camera issues
• Faint fingerprints
• “No Match” or “Failed” results

Customers may be referred to the NIA, and new customers have up to 90 days to correct records before accounts become fully operational.

System Downtime and Offline Transactions

During system outages, institutions must use MECO devices in offline mode.

However:

• For third parties and customers without a physical Ghana Card present
• Only deposits are allowed
• Withdrawals are strictly prohibited

Transitional Arrangements

• Strengthen KYC and Customer Due Diligence (CDD)
• Improve AML and CFT compliance
• Reduce fraud
• Fully integrate the national ID system into Ghana’s financial sector

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