By Ashiadey Dotse
Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel Nartey George has announced that the government will introduce biometric verification as part of Ghana’s SIM registration process before the end of 2026.
The new system will require subscribers to provide biometric information, such as fingerprints, to strengthen the identification of SIM card users and improve the security of registration data.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House in Accra on Monday, September 7, 2026, Mr George said Parliament had passed the Legislative Instrument (LI) on SIM registration, paving the way for the implementation of the new system.
He said the move forms part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s digital identity system and create a more secure telecommunications environment.
“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 announcement follows challenges with the previous SIM registration exercise, which began on October 1, 2021.
The earlier process required subscribers to first link their SIM cards to their Ghana Cards and then complete biometric registration at customer care centres or authorised agents of their network providers.
By October 2022, about 28.96 million SIM cards had been linked to Ghana Cards, representing 67.28 per cent of all SIM cards issued. However, only 18.93 million, representing 44.28 per cent, had completed the full registration process.
The exercise officially ended on May 31, 2023, after several deadline extensions. Following the deadline, network operators blocked SIM cards that had not completed the required registration.
MTN Ghana alone blocked about 5.4 million unregistered SIM cards.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ministry have acknowledged that the previous registration exercise did not fully achieve its aim of reducing fraud and improving public confidence in communication services.
The new biometric verification system is expected to address some of these challenges by ensuring that SIM cards are linked to verified identities.
As part of preparations, the NCA held stakeholder consultations on March 13, 2026, to review the draft regulations for SIM registration.
The discussions covered registration requirements for residents and foreigners, the number of SIM cards allowed per identification card, the registration of minors and diplomats, as well as financial and operational issues.
With Parliament having passed the LI, the Ministry is expected to work with the NCA and telecommunications companies to implement the biometric verification system before the end of 2026.
Mr George said subscribers would be given a timeline to complete the new verification process, although the specific deadline and possible sanctions for non-compliance are yet to be announced.
