The government is set to 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.
According to the Minister, Parliament has passed the Legislative Instrument (LI) on SIM registration, paving the way for the implementation of the next phase of the process. The biometric verification system is expected to strengthen subscriber identification and improve the integrity of SIM registration data.
Mr George said the move forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Ghana’s digital identity and telecommunications systems and provide a more secure environment for users of digital services.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House in Accra on Monday, September 7, 2026, Mr George said the government would ensure that the regulatory framework keeps 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 announcement comes after years of challenges with the SIM registration exercise, which began on October 1, 2021. The initial two-stage process required subscribers to first link their SIM cards to their Ghana Cards, and then complete biometric capture at their service provider’s customer care centre or agent.
By October 2022, approximately 28.96 million SIM cards had been linked to Ghana Cards—representing 67.28% of the total SIM cards issued—while only 18.93 million (44.28%) had completed both stages of registration. Nearly 10 million subscribers who had completed the first stage had not followed through with the second stage.
The exercise officially ended on May 31, 2023, after several deadline extensions. However, over 10 million subscribers had only partially completed the process, leaving their SIM cards exposed to possible deactivation. At the close of the exercise, MTN Ghana alone blocked approximately 5.4 million unregistered SIM cards.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ministry have acknowledged that the previous registration efforts did not fully achieve their objectives of reducing fraud and strengthening public confidence in communication services. The new biometric verification requirement is intended to address the remaining gaps and ensure that every SIM card is linked to a verified identity through biometric data.
In preparation for the new phase, the NCA held stakeholder consultations on March 13, 2026, to review the draft regulations for SIM registration. The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including registration requirements for residents and foreigners, financial and operational considerations, limits on SIM cards per identification card, and the registration of minors and diplomats.
The introduction of biometric verification means that subscribers will be required to provide biometric data—such as fingerprints—as part of the SIM registration process. This is expected to make it more difficult for individuals to register SIM cards using fraudulent identities, thereby reducing the incidence of SIM-related fraud and improving the traceability of subscribers.
The LI now passed by Parliament provides the legal framework for the implementation of the biometric verification system. The new regulations are expected to set out specific requirements for biometric data collection, storage, and usage, as well as the obligations of telecommunications companies and subscribers.
With the LI now passed, the Ministry is expected to work with the NCA and telecommunications companies to implement the biometric verification system before the end of the year. Subscribers will likely be given a timeline within which to complete the biometric verification process, with potential sanctions for non-compliance.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
