Gov’t announces fresh nationwide SIM re-registration with biometric verification

The government has initiated steps toward a new nationwide SIM card re-registration exercise following Cabinet approval.

The announcement was made by the Minister for Communication, Innovations and Digital Technologies, Samuel Nartey George, during his keynote address at the 2026 Data Protection Commission Conference.

According to the Minister, the fresh registration exercise is intended to address shortcomings identified in the previous process while enhancing national security and data accuracy within the telecommunications sector.

He disclosed that the new exercise will, for the first time, incorporate live verification against the National Identification Authority (NIA) database, alongside mandatory biometric authentication for all registrations.

Mr. George assured citizens that the process will be designed to prioritise convenience and eliminate the long queues that characterised earlier efforts. He said government is collaborating with the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications to introduce self-service portals and streamline the overall registration experience.

Unlike the previous exercise, he indicated that the upcoming re-registration will not be restricted by rigid deadlines that created pressure for subscribers.

The Minister further emphasised the role of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in coordinating stakeholder engagement for the rollout, while stressing that the Data Protection Commission must ensure that all biometric data collected is handled in strict compliance with existing data protection laws.

He noted that safeguarding public trust will be central to the exercise, adding that the protection of citizens’ data must remain paramount throughout the process.