By Eugene Nyarko Jnr. Alisa Hotel, Accra | Thursday, May 21, 2026
The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority, Mr. Wisdom Kweku Deku, has announced that the authority has registered more than 19.4 million Ghanaians aged 15 years and above and issued over 18.7 million Ghana Cards since the inception of the national identification programme.
He disclosed this during the launch of the NIA’s 20th anniversary celebration held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra under the theme, “Reflecting on the Past, Securing the Future: 20 Years of the NIA.”
Mr. Deku said the authority had also enrolled more than 229,000 foreign nationals onto the identification system, stressing that the NIA had remained committed to removing barriers to legal identity through free issuance of cards and expanded access across the country.
According to him, the Ghana Card is now recognised as a travel document within the ECOWAS sub-region and accepted at more than 44,000 airports worldwide.
He further revealed that the authority’s Identity Verification System platform had processed over 200 million verification requests successfully, while 281 institutions had so far been integrated onto the verification platform. These include universal banks, rural banks, government institutions, fintech companies and telecommunication firms, with an additional 228 institutions expected to join soon.
Mr. Deku noted that since assuming office in January 2025, management and the governing board had undertaken major reforms, including the clearance and distribution of about 640,000 backlog cards by September 2025.
He said the authority had also expanded its premium registration services from nine to 16 regions and was extending operations abroad to countries including Spain, the United Arab Emirates, China, Malaysia, Nicaragua and Nigeria before the end of the year.
The Executive Secretary indicated that the NIA was in the final stages of implementing several international standards, including ISO 27001 for information security, ISO 22301 for business continuity and ISO 20000 for service management.
He also stressed the need for strict compliance with the National Identity Register Regulations, explaining that failure to update personal information with the authority within 30 days after changes could constitute an offence.
Describing identity management as a matter of national security, Mr. Deku paid tribute to former Executive Secretaries of the authority for laying the foundation for the institution’s growth over the past two decades.
He further announced that the NIA had resumed nationwide registration of children between the ages of six and 14 on May 5, 2026, beginning with the Oti Region, and had already registered more than 90,000 children as of May 20, 2026.
Mr. Deku added that registration for children aged between zero and five years would resume in June 2026 after completion of the necessary legal and administrative processes.
“We are not merely issuing identity cards. We are building the digital foundation of a modern Ghana where every person counts and every person is counted,” he stated.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, commended the NIA for bringing together all former Executive Secretaries to participate in the anniversary launch.
He described the authority’s growth over the years as a remarkable transformation from a conceptual initiative into a resilient biometric identification system that supports governance, national security and economic inclusion.
According to the Minister, the Ghana Card had evolved beyond a simple identification document into a gateway for accessing financial services, healthcare, telecommunications and various public services.
Mr. Muntaka acknowledged the operational and technical challenges encountered over the years but praised the resilience and innovation demonstrated by the authority in overcoming them.
He particularly lauded the renewed momentum under the leadership of Mr. Deku, citing progress in clearing card backlogs, expanding access to services and advancing institutional reforms.
The Minister emphasised the importance of maintaining system integrity, data security and strong partnerships in building a secure and future-oriented national identity ecosystem.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting the NIA in achieving universal identity coverage and strengthening Ghana’s digital transformation agenda.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we must remember that building a national identity system is an ongoing journey that must evolve alongside our people, economy and national aspirations,” he said.
