Ghana’s New Money Explained: Meet the Heroes on Your New Cedi Notes and When You Can Use Them

President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched Ghana’s new “Heritage Series” banknotes at the Bank of Ghana in Accra, marking the first major redesign of the country’s money in over 20 years. The new notes, which come with the theme “The Cedi, Our Future: Secure, Designed to Last,” are smaller, easier to carry, and packed with modern security features to make them harder to fake. They will start circulating from 1 December 2026 through commercial banks, and they will be used alongside the old notes, which remain valid for now.

One of the biggest changes is that the new notes celebrate Ghana’s national heroes and historic places. Every denomination, from the GH¢1 to the GH¢200, features a different important figure on the front, a famous landmark on the back, and a traditional Adinkra symbol that represents the note’s theme. For example, the GH¢1 note features market trader Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome, the GH¢5 note honors educator Dr. James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, and the GH¢200 note carries the portrait of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President.

Other notable figures on the new notes include Justice Annie Jiagge on the GH¢10, Dr. Ephraim Amu on the GH¢20, Theodosia Okoh on the GH¢50, and Kofi Annan on the GH¢100. The GH¢2 note features Cardinal Peter Porekuu Dery, while the GH¢5 note shows Achimota School on the back. The Bank of Ghana says these designs are meant to connect Ghanaians to their history and culture while making the money more practical for everyday use.

The new notes also come with several smart security features to help people spot fake money easily. These include a watermark of cocoa pods that you can see when you hold the note up to the light, a special security thread, and a colour-changing number on some notes that shifts from gold to green when tilted. There are also raised prints to help visually impaired people identify the notes by touch. The Bank of Ghana has launched a Cedi App and a public education campaign to help everyone learn how to check the new notes.

Officials have urged the public to take good care of the new money by not spraying it, crumpling it, stapling it, or turning it into money bouquets. The Bank of Ghana also confirmed that no new higher denomination, such as a GH¢500 note, has been introduced. As the new notes begin circulating from December 2026, they offer both practical improvements for daily use and a renewed visual link to the nation’s heritage, turning everyday money into a portable celebration of Ghana’s story.