Sam George details plans for new national SIM registration drive

Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has disclosed that Cabinet has approved a completely new nationwide SIM registration exercise following what he described as a thorough review of the previous process.

He explained that the earlier registration exercise faced a number of challenges, including weak biometric enforcement, data inconsistencies and instances of registration fraud.

According to a report by myjoyonline.com on March 9, 2026, he said government intends to reset the system to improve credibility and security.

He said this during high-level talks with the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the National Communications Authority (NCA).

The meeting focused on the proposed new SIM registration exercise and the roadmap for the rollout of 5G technology in Ghana.

Sam George stressed that the new registration will not be a continuation of the previous system but a complete reset designed to address the weaknesses identified in the earlier exercise.

'There will be no long queues; proper SIM registration begins July 1' - Sam George

As part of the new framework, the NCA will serve as the central repository of all SIM registration data, while biometric verification will be mandatory for every registration.

He also disclosed that a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) will be introduced to enable cross-network blocking of stolen or fraud-linked devices.

“A Central Equipment Identity Register will be introduced to enable cross-network blocking of stolen or fraud-linked devices,” he stated.

Sam George further disclosed that a revised Legislative Instrument (LI) is being prepared to regulate the new exercise.

Telecom operators who participated in the discussions welcomed the proposed initiative but raised operational concerns, particularly about the implementation process.

However, it remains unclear when the new SIM registration exercise will begin or who will bear the cost of implementing it.

The planned exercise follows a similar exercise launched in 2021, which the current administration claim was plagued with several challenges.

MRA/VPO