Meet the 2 Mfantsipim Old Boys on Ghana’s New Heritage Cedi Banknotes

The Bank of Ghana unveiled its Heritage Series banknotes on 19 July 2026, featuring prominent Ghanaian personalities for the first timeTwo of the figures honoured on the new notes Kofi Annan and James Kwegyir Aggrey, both attended Mfantsipim SchoolThe new polymer notes are expected to enter circulation on 1 December 2026, alongside existing banknotesGhana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

The Bank of Ghana has unveiled its Heritage Series banknotes, dated 19 July 2026, featuring the faces of distinguished Ghanaian personalities on redesigned polymer notes that prioritise security, durability and national pride.

Among the most notable details of the new series is that two of the figures honoured, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and pioneering educator Dr James Kwegyir Aggrey, both attended Mfantsipim School, one of Ghana's most prestigious institutions.

Bank of Ghana’s Heritage Series notes honour Kofi Annan and James Kwegyir Aggrey, Mfantsipim alumni Image credit: North Links/Facebook, Bank Of Ghana/Facebook Source: Getty ImagesKofi Annan on the GH¢100 noteKofi Atta Annan, born on 8 April 1938 in Kumasi, attended Mfantsipim School from 1954 to 1957, the same year Ghana gained independence from British colonial rule. He went on to study at the Kumasi College of Science and Technology, Macalester College in the United States, the Graduate Institute in Geneva and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Annan joined the United Nations system in 1962 as a budget officer with the World Health Organisation in Geneva. He rose to become the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006. In 2001, he and the UN jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts towards a more peaceful and better-organised world. Annan died on 18 August 2018 in Bern, Switzerland, at the age of 80.

Dr James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, born on 18 October 1875 in Anomabu in the Gold Coast, received his early education at Wesleyan High School in Cape Coast, which would later be known as Mfantsipim School.

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He travelled to the United States in 1898 to study at Livingstone College in North Carolina, graduating with honours in 1902 and later joining the institution as a professor.

Aggrey returned to the Gold Coast in 1924 and became assistant vice-principal of Achimota College, working alongside principal Alexander G. Fraser. He was a vocal champion of African education and advocated strongly for equal access to quality schooling for both men and women. He died in New York on 30 July 1927.

The Heritage Series banknotes are designed to reinforce the security of the cedi while incorporating Adinkra symbols and imagery of historic sites and monuments for the first time. Both the new and existing notes are expected to remain in use, with the Heritage Series set to enter circulation on 1 December 2026.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President John Mahama had detailed how Ghana plans to transition from existing cedi notes to the newly introduced Heritage Ghana Series.

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He explained that the currency changeover would be gradual rather than immediate.

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Philip Boateng Kessie (Head of Human Interest Desk) Philip Boateng Kessie is the Head of the Diaspora Affairs Desk at YEN.com.gh, where he has worked since 2022. He has over eight years of journalism experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Cape Coast. Philip previously served as Head of the Human Interest Desk at YEN.com.gh and has also worked as a reporter for Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and a content writer for Scooper News. He also holds certificates in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation. Email: philip.kessie@yen.com.gh