In a move to further tighten the country’s digital security framework, the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has announced a new nationwide SIM card registration exercise.
The upcoming phase introduces a critical technical layer: live biometric verification synced directly with the National Identification Authority (NIA) database.
Samuel Nartey George, Communication minister
While previous exercises relied on the physical presentation of the Ghana Card, this new mandate seeks to eliminate the use of fraudulent or “pre-registered” SIM cards. By using live biometrics—such as facial recognition or fingerprint scans at the point of sale—the Ministry aims to ensure that the person holding the ID is the same person registering the SIM.
”Our goal is to create a digital ecosystem built on trust,” Minister Sam George stated. “By verifying biometrics against the NIA database in real-time, we close the loopholes that fraudsters have exploited in the past.”
Despite previous registration drives, “SIM-boxing” and identity theft remain persistent challenges in the telecommunications sector.
The Ministry believes that integrating a live “handshake” between Telco systems and the NIA database is the only way to achieve 100% identity assurance.
The anticipated benefits include:
- Reduced Cybercrime: Making it nearly impossible for anonymous actors to operate on the network.
- Enhanced FinTech Security: Securing Mobile Money (MoMo) wallets, which are frequently targeted by scammers.
- Accurate Data: Ensuring the National Communications Authority (NCA) maintains an untainted database of all active users.
The Minister has assured the public that the process will be streamlined to avoid the long queues that characterized previous exercises.
While a formal start date and “grace period” have yet to be finalized, the Ministry advises citizens to:
- Ensure their Ghana Card is valid and the chip is functional.
- Prepare for a physical verification process at authorized vendor locations.
- Monitor official government channels for the rollout schedule.
By 1960news.com
