The National Identification Authority (NIA) has raised concerns over surge institutions—including banks, government agencies, and financial service providers, depending solely on physical checks and photocopies of the Ghana Card for identity verification.
In a statement signed by Williams Ampomah E. Darlas, the Head of Corporate Affairs Directorate, on Wednesday, July 16, NIA warned that this method is not only insecure but has also enabled the use of fake Ghana Cards by fraudulent individuals.
According to the Authority, simply looking at or photocopying the card is not a reliable way to confirm its authenticity.
The NIA is urging all institutions to stop this practice immediately and instead use the NIA’s official Identity Verification System Platform (IVSP)—the only approved and secure system for real-time verification of the Ghana Card.
“To enrol onto the NIA IVSP, institutions are advised to contact the NIA directly via idverification@nia.gov.gh to initiate the onboarding process. This will enable institutions to carry
out instant, reliable verification and help safeguard the integrity of the Ghana Card as the single source of truth for identification in Ghana.”
The Authority also issued a strong caution: any institution that fails to verify Ghana Cards properly does so at its own risk.
Any resulting cases of identity theft, financial fraud, or reputational damage, the Authority says will not be the responsible.
NIA has urged all institutions using the Ghana Card for their operations are encouraged to comply with this directive without delay to help protect their customers, their businesses, and the nation at large.
