Ghana's National Identification Authority (NIA) has activated a digital wallet on the Ghana Card, allowing the national ID to function as a payment tool. The feature, announced in September 2025, enables users to conduct transactions at ATMs, in stores, online, and across borders in over 200 countries. Cardholders can activate the wallet via the MyCitizens App or by dialling *402#. The move supports financial inclusion in a country where credit card penetration is projected to decline, reaching just 0.6% in 2024. The Ghana Card now fulfils all three components of its original vision: identity, e-passport (active since 2022 and accepted in 197 countries), and payments. The e-wallet is designed as a multi-bank platform, not controlled by any single financial institution, allowing integration with various banks. The NIA previously expressed interest in partnering with the Ghana Gold Board to enable gold trading and tokenised transactions using the card, though it is not confirmed if this function is live. By merging identity and finance into one state-issued card, Ghana is testing a model that could reduce reliance on global payment networks like Visa and Mastercard.
When the NIA says the Ghana Card was always meant for payments, that means the state is positioning itself as a direct player in financial infrastructure — not just an ID issuer. This blurs the line between government systems and fintech platforms, a shift that could reshape how African countries approach digital finance. If widely adopted, Ghana's model may challenge the dominance of traditional card networks and inspire similar state-led payment ecosystems across the region. For Nigerian fintechs like Paystack or Flutterwave, this signals a future where national ID systems could bypass private payment gateways altogether.
