The National Identification Authority (NIA) has introduced a mobile application that allows individuals and small businesses to easily verify identities using the Ghana Card’s biometric system. This new app is designed to make biometric verification accessible to those who may not meet the requirements for the NIA’s primary verification platform. Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, November 2, 2026, the NIA’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, explained that the app delivers a straightforward “yes or no” result to confirm a person’s identity.
He noted that institutions wishing to use the main verification platform must be certified by the Data Protection Commission—a process that may be difficult for smaller entities and individuals. The mobile app was developed to overcome this barrier and broaden access to biometric verification services. “There are no excuses; we have ensured the app serves every segment of the population,” Mr Darlas stated.
He also assured Ghanaians that the app’s security measures would protect users against identity fraud, emphasising, “We are a tech institution and take great care with public releases.” The launch of the app aligns with L.I. 2523, the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, which expand biometric verification requirements beyond institutions to include individuals involved in transactions that require identity confirmation.
Regulations 9A and 9B specifically mandate that individuals must verify the identities of transaction partners through biometric checks. Mr Darlas pointed to land transactions as an example, underscoring the necessity of biometric verification in such dealings.
The application is set to be launched soon. Meanwhile, the grace period for complying with the new regulations ends today, November 2, 2026. Starting tomorrow, November 3, the NIA’s Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force will begin inspecting institutions to enforce the rules.
Institutions that are found photocopying, scanning, or retaining copies of the Ghana Card, or using visual inspection for identity verification, may face prosecution and fines between 500 and 2,000 penalty units. They also risk being removed from the NIA verification platform and incurring a surcharge of up to 20 percent of their annual verification fees.
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