THE government has announced plans to conduct a fresh nationwide Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card registration exercise, this time with mandatory live biometric verification against the National Identi????cation Authority (NIA) database.

The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Knowledge, Samuel Nartey George, said the new exercise is intended to correct de????ciencies in the previous registration process and strengthen the integrity of Ghana’s digital identi????cation system.

Speaking at the Data Protection Conference 2026 in Accra yesterday, the minister mentioned that Cabinet approved the decision after extensive deliberations.

He said the earlier SIM registration exercise did not include live biometric veri????cation against the NIA database, a gap he described as signi????cant.

“This exercise will be the ????rst in our history to have live veri????cation against the NIA database and provide biometric veri????cation for every registration,” Mr George said.

He assured the public that the new registration would avoid long queues and unrealistic deadlines.

Instead, he stressed, it would prioritise convenience through self-service digital portals and a streamlined system designed to reduce congestion at service centres.

Mr George disclosed that the National Communications Authority was engaging key stakeholders, including the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, to ensure a smooth and coordinated nationwide rollout.

He added that the Data Protection Commission would play a central role in overseeing the collection and processing of biometric data to guarantee strict compliance with privacy and data security standards.

The minister further emphasised that personal data had become a gateway to essential services such as banking, healthcare, insurance and other public services, making its protection a matter of national importance.

“Trust is not an abstract idea; it is a form of economic infrastructure,” he said, warning that rapid digital expansion without robust governance frameworks could erode public con????dence and undermine innovation.

He said the government was developing a new data protection bill to address emerging challenges, including Arti????cial Intelligence, automated decision-making and cross-border data transfers.

The proposed legislation, he underlined, was expected to strengthen enforcement mechanisms, clarify international data transfer rules and enhance citizens’ rights.

In addition, Mr George announced that Ghana’s National Arti????cial Intelligence Strategy, recently approved by Cabinet, would be launched in the coming weeks.

The strategy aims to build local technological capacity while embedding fairness, transparency and accountability in AI systems.

“Strong data protection should not be seen as a barrier to innovation,” he said.

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, speaking on behalf of the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, urged the country to safeguard its digital sovereignty as technology reshapes governance and national development.

Mr Bagbin cautioned that digitisation was no longer optional but an imperative shaping public and private life.

However, he stressed that nations must actively govern digital transformation rather than remain passive participants.

Also addressing the conference, the Chief Executive Of????cer of the NIA, Wisdom Yayra Koku Deku, highlighted the human dimension of cybersecurity.

“The biggest vulnerability in cybersecurity is the human being,” he said, urging citizens to exercise caution when sharing personal information.