The news:
- Ghana’s National Identification Authority (NIA), in a public notice it released on April 22, 2024, announced plans to increase fees for some of its services.
- According to the identity regulator, the new development is in line with “the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations, 2023 (L.I 2481)” enacted by the country’s Parliament in February 2024.
- Per the notice, addressed to the public, the increment will take effect from Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
Fee adjustments will apply to Ghanaians registering for national identification cards (more commonly known as Ghana Cards) for the first time, individuals replacing Ghana Cards, and those updating their existing personal information.
Following this public notice, the authority advises citizens to be aware of the upcoming fee changes and plan accordingly for any registration, card replacement, or personal information updates beginning May 1.
The increment won’t affect individuals coming for first-time registration at the NIA District Office, as it’ll remain free. Record updates without card replacements will also be free for visitors to the NIA Regional and District offices, the ECOWAS Sub-Region, other African countries, and countries outside of Africa.
Some key fee increases include first-time registration at NIA Premium Centres, which will now be GHc310 ($23.01), and card replacement fees at Premium Centres, GHc420 ($31.17).
However, the fees for Ghanaians in the ECOWAS sub-region looking to do first-time registration will now pay the cedi equivalent of $55, and individuals seeking record updates with card replacement will pay the cedi equivalent of $27.5.
Nationality updates at NIA regional and district offices have been revised to GHc70 ($5.20). At Premium Cetres, however, it’ll be GHc365 ($27.09).
In April 2024, the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana warned more than 11 million active SIM card users in the country to register their SIM cards by the end of May 2023, otherwise, they would be deactivated. Following this directive, all Ghanaians must link their SIM cards to their Ghana Card.
Ghana is not the only African nation with a recent announcement regarding national identity cards. In February 2024, Uganda’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) announced its plans to add iris biometrics to its national ID for enhanced security.
