The National Identification Authority (NIA) has temporarily suspended all date of birth update services on the Ghana Card, leaving applicants with pending requests unable to have their details amended until further notice.
The suspension, which took effect on Monday, November 9, 2026, means that individuals seeking to correct errors in their dates of birth on their Ghana Cards will have to wait until the Authority completes a review of the process and introduces new guidelines.
In a press release issued on Monday, the NIA said the decision followed a review of its date of birth update procedures, which revealed the need to strengthen safeguards and improve the integrity of the process.
The Authority said it was engaging relevant institutions, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) and other key stakeholders, to develop more robust guidelines for handling such requests.
“These engagements aim to ensure a transparent, credible, and standardised system for handling such requests,” the statement said.
Under the new directive, no fresh date of birth correction requests will be accepted or processed at any NIA office nationwide during the suspension period.
The Authority also clarified that applications already submitted and undergoing processing would not be approved until the review is completed and the revised guidelines are ready.
The development is likely to affect individuals who require accurate date of birth information on their Ghana Cards for official documentation, educational records, employment, financial transactions and other identification-related purposes.
The Ghana Card serves as a primary identification document for several public and private sector services, making the accuracy of personal information on the card particularly important.
However, the NIA did not indicate how long the suspension would last or provide a specific date for the resumption of the service.
It assured the public that it would communicate further information once consultations had been completed and the approved guidelines were ready.
The Authority apologised for any inconvenience arising from the decision and appealed for the public’s understanding and cooperation.
