The Bank of Ghana (BoG) says the new Heritage Series banknotes will retain the traditional cotton material, but will be reinforced to make them more durable and secure.

Director and Head of Currency Management at the BoG, Dominic Owusu, explained that Ghana’s tropical climate was a key consideration in the decision not to adopt plastic or polymer notes.

According to the Bank of Ghana, the new banknotes are intended to preserve the cedi’s national identity while ensuring that the currency remains secure, trusted, durable and fit for the future.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, September 25, Mr Owusu said the warm conditions and high humidity in Ghana make the continued use of cotton banknotes more suitable.

“One thing we have to appreciate is that in our environment, we find ourselves in a tropical environment where people sweat, they go into the sun, it’s warm, humidity in the air is quite high in these tropics,” he said.

He explained that although some countries use plastic banknotes, many of those jurisdictions have temperate climates that differ significantly from Ghana’s.

“Out there, in some of the areas where they use these plastic notes, it’s in a temperate environment,” he said.

Mr Owusu said Ghana, like many other African countries, uses cotton-based banknotes, a material also used in countries such as the United States and several European countries.

“Bank of Ghana, and for that matter, Ghana and most African jurisdictions, what we use is cotton banknotes. The same thing that you find in Europe, the same thing that you find in the United States,” he said.

He said the focus under the Heritage Series was therefore to strengthen the durability of the cotton material so the notes could remain in circulation for longer periods.

“But what we are doing is that we are reinforcing the durability of the cotton to make sure that it stays longer in circulation,” Mr Owusu explained.

He, however, stressed that improved durability should not encourage the public to mishandle the currency.

“That is not supposed to mean that people must trample and mishandle the notes,” he said.

“We still want to reinforce that message to Ghanaians, that we must continue to handle the banknotes with care.”

According to Mr Owusu, the Heritage Series will also incorporate enhanced security features and improve the functionality of Ghana’s banknotes.

“However, the new notes coming are more reinforced with security, and they are more durable, and it improves the functionality and usage of these banknotes,” he said.

The Heritage Series forms part of the Bank of Ghana’s broader efforts to modernise Ghana’s currency and respond to developments in banknote technology and security.

The central bank says the initiative is not simply about changing the existing banknotes but about safeguarding the integrity of the cedi and ensuring that it remains secure, trusted, durable and fit for the future.

The cedi, according to the BoG, also serves as a symbol of Ghana’s sovereignty, economic identity and national pride.

The new series is expected to be officially launched on November 3, 2026, at the Bank Square in Accra.

Mr Owusu said the new notes are consequently being designed to meet changing requirements while retaining the cotton-based material used in Ghana’s currency.