The National Identification Authority (NIA) has so far registered over 18 million Ghanaians. These include 190,775 within the first half of 2025 alone.

The Authority has also registered 210,498 foreigners, including 10,290 in the first half of 2025. Of the 18 million Ghanaians registered by the NIA, 17,534,360 had been issued their Ghana Cards.

The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, disclosed this during the Mid-Year Review Report for the Ministry at a press conference on Monday, July 14.

Mr Muntaka said the registration had enabled integration with key systems like the Ghana Revenue Authority, the National Health Insurance Scheme, and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), thereby improving financial inclusion and security.

He said the NIA had installed security systems, which enhanced fiscal and cyber security infrastructure, and added premium centres to their operations across the country.

The Minister said the Authority had also cleared 600,000 registration backlogs across 292 operational offices whilst addressing public complaints, boosting trust, and enabling access to services like banking.

“This is very, very important because we came to meet a backlog of people that have registered, but they didn't have a card,” Alhaji Muntaka said.

He added: “And I can report that within the last six months, we made sure we had a blank card of over 600,000 to make sure that all these backlogs are cleared.

“And I'm happy to say that if you go to the National Identification Authority headquarters today, you'll marvel, this is the place that people used to come and queue for hours and take man-hours of their work simply because they want to just have their card or renew their card.”

This, he said, was because they had introduced a system where they prompt customers with a text message, giving them their scheduled time to be there.

“So, you come just at the time that you are expected. So, you no longer have those long queues that you used to see at the National Identification Authority. And I think this is very commendable to our Executive, CEO, who is doing so well there.”

Mr Muntaka said the Authority had also piloted an online application and appointments system, stating that one of the things that they were trying to do was to have Premium Centres across the country where they were partnering with private individuals who open and then that service could be there 24 hours so that one does not need to leave his workplace to go down to change his card, replace a card, try to reprint a lost card or even try to register and get his card.

“We are in the process of doing all that. So, we call it the Prestige Registration Services, which we are doing with so many others, including SSNIT, the Ghana Commercial Bank, and four private companies in Greater Accra and Ashanti, which offer exclusive home office enrolment and extended hours,” he said.

“So, you could even call for someone to come to your house to do those things, but obviously you have to pay a premium for that,” he added.