Ghana has introduced what is being described as Africa’s first national identity card with integrated payment functionality, allowing the Ghana Card to serve not only as an identification document but also as a payment tool. The move is aimed at expanding financial inclusion, simplifying transactions and reducing dependence on international card schemes such as Visa and Mastercard.
The upgrade marks a significant step in Ghana’s digital finance push, as the country looks to connect identity infrastructure more directly with everyday economic activity. By combining identification and payments in a single card, the system is expected to support easier access to formal financial services and encourage broader use of digital transactions
