Telecommunication companies in Ghana will bear the full financial responsibility for the upcoming nationwide SIM card registration exercise set to commence in June 2025. This was revealed by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, during an interview on Channel One TV.
The announcement comes as a relief to many Ghanaians who had previously expressed concerns over the cost of repeated SIM card registration exercises. According to the minister, this new process will not impose any financial burden on subscribers. Instead, the government is mandating that telcos set aside a portion of their revenue to fund the initiative.
Mr. George disclosed that a Legislative Instrument will soon be laid before Parliament to formalise this directive. He made it clear that the move is part of a broader plan to improve the country’s telecommunications infrastructure through a more credible and unified database, anchored on the Ghana Card. Unlike previous efforts, this upcoming exercise aims to register SIMS rather than re-register them, a distinction he emphasised in his interview.
He was also quick to differentiate his administration’s approach from the previous regime’s SIM re-registration campaign. Mr. George criticised former Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, citing flaws in her strategy and implementation. He explained that the last major registration initiative was in 2010 under Haruna Iddrisu, at a time when the Ghana Card was not yet introduced, thus lacking a reliable single source of identity verification.
In contrast, the new exercise promises a completely online system that allows citizens to register without the need to visit any physical location. Mr. George said the online approach will eliminate long queues and delays, ensuring a smoother experience for users. The system will automatically authenticate users’ identities using data from national records, making the process faster and more efficient.
The minister’s announcement has sparked interest among stakeholders in the telecom sector and the general public. Many view the initiative as a step toward streamlining communication services and enhancing national security through accurate subscriber data.
The government remains optimistic that this latest registration exercise will set a new standard in digital governance and identity management. By making the telcos responsible for the associated costs, authorities believe the financial pressure on citizens will be lifted while still achieving critical policy goals. As June approaches, attention will be on how the telcos prepare for the rollout and the impact this directive will have on operations across the sector.
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