The government will introduce biometric verification as part of Ghana’s SIM registration process before the end of 2026, Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George has announced.
The minister said Parliament had passed the Legislative Instrument (LI) governing SIM registration, paving the way for the implementation of the biometric verification phase.
The new system is expected to strengthen subscriber identification, improve the integrity of SIM registration data and make it more difficult for individuals to register SIM cards using fraudulent identities.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House in Accra on Monday, September 7, Mr George said the move formed part of broader efforts to strengthen Ghana’s digital identity and telecommunications systems.
He said the government would ensure that the regulatory framework kept pace with developments in the digital space.
“The work is far from finished, and I will not pretend otherwise. But the direction is unmistakable, the results are measurable, and the resolve of this Ministry is unshaken,” he said.
The new requirement comes after challenges encountered during the previous SIM registration exercise, which began in October 2021.
The initial exercise required subscribers to link their SIM cards to their Ghana Cards and subsequently complete biometric capture at the customer care centre or an authorised agent of their network provider.
By October 2022, about 28.96 million SIM cards had been linked to Ghana Cards, representing 67.28% of SIM cards issued at the time. However, only 18.93 million, or 44.28%, had completed both stages of the registration process.
The exercise officially ended on 31 May 2023, following several deadline extensions.
The Ministry and the National Communications Authority (NCA) have previously acknowledged gaps in the exercise, particularly in achieving its objectives of reducing fraud and strengthening public confidence in communication services.
The new biometric verification system is intended to address some of those gaps by ensuring that SIM cards are linked to verified identities through biometric data.
The NCA held stakeholder consultations in March 2026 on draft regulations for the new SIM registration regime. The discussions covered registration requirements for residents and foreigners, limits on the number of SIM cards linked to an identification card, and registration arrangements for minors and diplomats.
With Parliament having passed the LI, the Ministry is expected to work with the NCA and telecommunications operators to roll out the biometric verification system before the end of the year.
The regulations will also provide the framework for the collection, storage and use of biometric information and define the responsibilities of telecommunications companies and subscribers.
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