Ghana becomes the first African country to integrate payment into its Citizens' Identity Card, ditching US-based payment giants Visa and Mastercard in Africa.
The card is now widely accepted in over 190 countries for online, in-store, and ATM use.
It allows for secure purchases, international payments, and offers perks like insurance and emergency assistance.
Ghana Card holders can activate their card using the MyCitizens App or by dialling *402#
Recall that Ghana’s National Identification Authority (NIA), statutory body mandated to establish a national identification system, first announced in September 2025, that the card would allow users to make use of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), make payments in stores and online, make international payments with over 200 countries, and access other services such as insurance and emergency assistance.
The NIA’s aim for developing this feature is to bolster financial inclusion within the country.
In Ghana, the credit card penetration rate was forecast at 0.6% in 2024 and was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2029.
