NIA begins enforcement of biometric verification regulations

The National Identification Authority (NIA) announced on Monday, November 2, 2026, that it will commence enforcing the National Identity Register Amendment Regulation, 2026 (L.I. 2523) from Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Mr. Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, the Head of the NIA Corporate Affairs Directorate, stated that non-compliant institutions will face legal penalties.

A Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force will be deployed to inspect both public and private entities to ensure adherence to the new rules. The three-month grace period granted by the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Muntaka Mubarak, expires on Monday, November 2, thus opening the enforcement phase. During a press conference in Accra, Mr. Darlas highlighted the extensive public education and stakeholder engagements undertaken by the NIA during the grace period, which included media campaigns on radio and television, social media sensitization, and engagements with both public and private institutions.

The regulation mandates that institutions and individuals conducting identity verification transactions must utilize approved biometric methods instead of visual inspection of the Ghana Card. It is prohibited for institutions to photocopy, scan, or retain copies of the Ghana Card for verification purposes. Institutions are strictly prohibited from engaging third-party providers to access the NIA's verification platform, as the authority does not employ intermediaries or resellers.

To gain access, institutions must be legally registered in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission, undergo technical integration with the NIA, and sign an agreement with the authority. Institutions already connected to the platform are cautioned against subletting their access to other organizations, particularly small and medium-scale enterprises.

Institutions found guilty of violating the regulations may face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units, depending on the severity of the offense. The NIA will also take administrative actions, including removing non-compliant institutions from its verification platform and restricting future access. Compliance with L.I. 2523 is a legal obligation, not optional, and institutions are required to review their identity verification arrangements immediately, obtain services directly from the NIA, and regularize any existing arrangements that do not comply with the law.

The NIA will monitor institutions' compliance with the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) and report any mishandling of personal information to the authority. Members of the public are urged to report any violations of the regulations to the NIA's Biometric Verification Task Force hotline at 030-2999-309. The Authority will continue public education through radio, television, and social media to ensure widespread understanding of the regulations.