Ghana has made biometric verification of its national identity card compulsory for all businesses and institutions, banning the previous practice of visually inspecting or photocopying the "Ghana Card" for transactions. The change, ordered by the National Identification Authority (NIA), aims to close a loophole that allowed criminals to impersonate cardholders, and reflects the card's growing importance in daily life, as it is required to access banking services, register SIM cards and obtain passports or driving licences.

Under the new rules, organisations must use a mobile app to scan the card and verify data such as fingerprints, iris scans, photographs and signatures. NIA chief Wisdom Yayra Koku Deku said continuing to use photocopies or visual checks is now an offence, with institutions facing fines of up to 24,000 Ghanaian cedis (about $2,100/£1,550) and individuals up to 6,000 cedis (about $525/£390). The agency has urged organisations not yet linked to its digital verification system to connect immediately, and the government is expected to brief the public shortly on how the amended regulations will be enforced.