Gov’t to introduce biometric verification for SIM registration by end of 2026 – Sam George

Communication Minister Samuel Nartey George has announced that the Ghanaian government will implement biometric verification for SIM card registration by the close of 2026. During a Government Accountability Series event at Jubilee House in Accra on September 7, 2026, George stated that Parliament had approved the Legislative Instrument (LI) pertaining to SIM registration, enabling the rollout of the new system.

The move aims to bolster Ghana's digital identity system and enhance the overall security of telecommunications. George emphasized that while considerable progress has been made, the task is far from complete. While the previous SIM registration process, which commenced on October 1, 2021, managed to link 28.96 million SIM cards to Ghana Cards (67.28% of all issued SIM cards), a mere 18.93 million (44.28%) had completed the full registration procedure by May 31, 2023.

Subsequently, network providers disabled approximately 5.4 million unregistered SIM cards following the deadline. The National Communications Authority (NCA) and Ministry have admitted that the prior exercise fell short of its objectives, including reducing fraud and bolstering public trust in communication services. The upcoming biometric verification process is anticipated to address these concerns by ensuring SIM cards are connected to authenticated identities.

In preparation for the new system, the NCA convened stakeholder consultations on March 13, 2026, to review the SIM registration draft regulations. These discussions addressed aspects such as registration requirements for residents and foreigners, the number of SIM cards permitted per identification card, the registration of minors and diplomats, as well as financial and operational matters.

Upon Parliament's approval of the LI, the Ministry plans to collaborate with the NCA and telecommunications firms to introduce the biometric verification system before the end of 2026. George indicated that subscribers would receive a timetable for completing the verification process, though the precise deadline and potential consequences for non-compliance have yet to be disclosed.