The National Identification Authority (NIA) has suspended all date of birth changes on the Ghana Card nationwide with effect from Monday, November 9, 2026. No new requests will be accepted or processed at any NIA office, and applications already in progress will not be approved until further notice.
The directive was announced in a statement dated November 9, 2026, signed by the NIA’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas.
According to the Authority, a review of the existing date of birth update process showed the need for stronger safeguards to protect the integrity of such changes and the credibility of personal information held on the national identity system.
The NIA has not announced a date for the service to resume. It says the suspension will stay in place until consultations with partner institutions are completed and revised guidelines are approved.
Why the NIA suspended Ghana Card date of birth changes
The NIA says the suspension is needed to strengthen the guidelines that govern date of birth amendments and to prevent potential irregularities in the process.
The Authority described the move as temporary and said its aim is to build a “transparent, credible, and standardised” system for handling date of birth requests.
The statement did not give details of specific irregularities or cases found during the review.
NIA consulting WAEC and Births and Deaths Registry
As part of the review, the NIA is engaging the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) and other relevant institutions.
These consultations are expected to improve how applicants’ dates of birth are verified before any change is approved on the Ghana Card database.
WAEC certificates and birth certificates are among the key records Ghanaians commonly rely on to prove their age, which makes the two bodies central to any new verification rules.
What is affected by the Ghana Card date of birth freeze
- New requests: Not accepted at any NIA office nationwide
- Pending applications: Will not be approved during the suspension
- Effective date: Monday, November 9, 2026
- Duration: Until further notice – no resumption date given
- Coverage: All NIA offices across the country
The NIA statement focuses only on date of birth amendments and does not announce changes to other Ghana Card services.
What it means for Ghana Card holders
Anyone who needs to correct a wrong date of birth on their Ghana Card will have to wait until the NIA lifts the suspension and publishes the new guidelines.
Applicants who had already submitted requests should also expect delays, since those applications have been put on hold.
Because the Ghana Card is now used widely for banking, SIM registration, passports and other services, people with mismatched dates of birth across their documents may face inconvenience in the meantime. The NIA apologised for the disruption and appealed for public understanding and cooperation.
The freeze comes days after another major NIA directive. GhanaTrends earlier reported that Ghana Card photocopying became an offence from November 2, with institutions facing fines.
What happens next
The NIA says it will inform the public once its consultations with WAEC, the BDR and other stakeholders are complete and the revised guidelines have been approved.
Until then, applicants are advised to watch for official updates from the Authority through its website, nia.gov.gh, and its verified communication channels.
Key details at a glance
- The NIA has suspended all Ghana Card date of birth changes nationwide.
- The suspension took effect on Monday, November 9, 2026.
- No new requests will be accepted at any NIA office.
- Applications already being processed will not be approved during the suspension.
- The NIA is consulting WAEC, the Births and Deaths Registry and other institutions.
- The statement was signed by Head of Corporate Affairs Williams Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas.
- No date has been given for the service to resume.
FAQs
Can I change my date of birth on my Ghana Card now?
No. The NIA suspended all date of birth changes from November 9, 2026, and is not accepting or processing new requests at any office until further notice.
What happens to my pending Ghana Card date of birth application?
Applications already in progress will not be approved during the suspension. They remain on hold until the NIA finalises its new guidelines.
When will NIA resume Ghana Card date of birth corrections?
The NIA has not given a date. It says it will announce a resumption once consultations with WAEC, the Births and Deaths Registry and other bodies are completed and revised guidelines are approved.
The NIA’s nationwide freeze on Ghana Card date of birth changes, effective November 9, 2026, puts both new and pending requests on hold while the Authority works with WAEC and the Births and Deaths Registry on tighter verification rules. Ghana Card holders needing corrections will have to wait for the NIA’s announcement of new guidelines before the service resumes.
