Ghana Card to become e-wallet for electronic transactions soon – NIA Boss

The National Identification Authority (NIA) is working to make the Ghana Card an electronic wallet that will allow holders to conduct financial transactions, including transferring money to and from their bank accounts.

Executive Secretary of the NIA, Wisdom Kwaku Deku, said the initiative was in its final stages and would be introduced in phases, including linking the Ghana Card to bank accounts and allowing users to load money onto the card through authorised vendors.

He said the system would be secured through the biometric information and PIN of cardholders, making the Ghana Card useful beyond identification.

Mr Deku disclosed this on Atinka TV’s Ghana Nie, hosted by Nana Yaw Fianko.

He said the NIA was also preparing to introduce an application that would allow cardholders to update changes in their circumstances, including employment, marital status and residential address.

According to him, citizens are required by law to notify the NIA of changes in their circumstances within 30 days. He said failure to do so could attract a prison term of up to 30 days.

Mr Deku said the information would help government plan effectively, while assuring citizens that their personal data was protected.

He also warned the public against allowing other people to use their Ghana Cards to register SIM cards, particularly for children and relatives.

He said cardholders could be held responsible for fraudulent activities committed using SIM cards registered with their Ghana Cards.

On the use of Ghana Card copies, Mr Deku said the NIA’s verification team would soon begin visiting institutions to enforce the law prohibiting photocopying or visual inspection of the card for verification.

He said the enforcement exercise was expected to begin on November 2, 2026, adding that institutions were required to connect to the NIA’s verification platform.

Mr Deku said more than 100 institutions had already applied to be onboarded onto the platform, with the banking sector among those making progress with biometric verification.

He also disclosed that the NIA had started registering children between six and 14 years and would soon extend registration activities to the North East Region.

The Authority is also preparing to begin registration at hospitals, where parents or guardians would receive an identity number for newborns, which would later be linked to the child’s Ghana Card registration at age six.

Mr Deku said the NIA was also pursuing three ISO certifications as part of efforts to strengthen its operations and service delivery.

He clarified that the NIA’s Prestige 24/7 Centre is currently the only centre that charges an additional fee, while the facility operates on weekends and holidays when regular offices are closed.

-atinkaonline