The National Identification Authority (NIA), working alongside the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), will on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, begin a nationwide Ghana Card registration exercise targeting children between the ages of 6 and 14, with an initial focus on the Volta and Oti Regions.
NIA Executive Secretary Wisdom Kwaku Deku confirmed the rollout, stating that the Authority is targeting approximately 3.1 million children across the country as part of a broader effort to strengthen Ghana’s national identity system from an early age. The exercise will be conducted in phases, with each phase expected to run for at least 21 days, and extended where necessary to ensure full coverage before moving to the next region.
A pilot registration exercise was conducted from April 23, 2026, at selected institutions including the Ministry of the Interior and Media General, ahead of the nationwide rollout. The NIA said lessons from that pilot have informed the preparation for the wider exercise.
To register a child, parents or legal guardians are required to present the child’s original birth certificate, a valid Ghanaian passport, or a Certificate of Acquired Citizenship. Where none of these documents are available, a parent, relative, or legal guardian may complete an Oath of Identity form. For children without known relatives, two Social Welfare Officers may vouch for the child under oath. Parents or guardians who have enrolled their children on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) are also advised to present the child’s NHIS card or number at the point of registration.
Any adult presenting a child for registration must be Ghanaian, at least 18 years of age, of sound mind, and in possession of a valid Ghana Card.
The NIA has already issued nearly 18.7 million Ghana Cards to persons aged 15 and above. The forthcoming exercise is intended to extend that coverage to younger Ghanaians who have so far been excluded from the national identity register. Registration for children aged zero to five is expected to follow after the 6 to 14 age group exercise is completed.
Children who participated in a 2024 pilot registration but have not yet received their cards are advised to visit the NIA district office where they originally registered to collect them. The Authority warned that any attempt to re-register such children will be automatically blocked by its system.
The NIA also issued a firm caution to the public: anyone who provides false information or facilitates the registration of a non-Ghanaian will face prosecution, with penalties including fines and possible imprisonment.
Parents, legal guardians, and Social Welfare Officers in the Volta and Oti Regions are encouraged to visit designated registration centres from Tuesday to take advantage of the exercise.
