A district court in Madina, Ghana, has sentenced two Nigerian nationals to one year in prison each for attempting to obtain Ghana Cards using forged documents. The ruling, delivered on Friday, November 7, 2025, highlights Ghana’s increasing efforts to protect the integrity of its national identification system, which plays a crucial role in governance, security, and access to public services.
The convicts, identified as 20-year-old Ike Isaac (who used the false name Alex Kwesi Brown Appiah) and 24-year-old Emmanuel Innocent Egbe (who used the identity Innocent Emmanuel Kodom), were arrested after presenting fake documents during the Ghana Card registration process. Officials of the National Identification Authority (NIA) flagged their suspicious information and alerted the Ghana Police Service.
The case went before Madina District Court II, presided over by Magistrate Susana Nyakotey. After a full trial, the court found both men guilty of two charges: providing false information to NIA registration officials in violation of Section 40(1)(a) of the National Identity Register Act, 2008 (Act 750), and possessing forged documents, contrary to Section 166 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Magistrate Nyakotey sentenced each defendant to 12 months imprisonment for the false information charge and 13 months for possessing forged documents. However, the sentences will run concurrently, meaning both convicts will serve a total of one year behind bars.
The court also ordered that the men be deported to Nigeria immediately after serving their jail terms. They have since been transferred to the Nsawam Prisons Authority to begin their sentences.
Following the ruling, the NIA issued a statement praising the Ghana Police Service, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officers attached to the Authority, and the Office of the Attorney-General for their roles in securing the conviction.
According to the NIA, the successful prosecution serves as proof of the agency’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the Ghana Card system. The Authority stressed that protecting the system is essential because the Ghana Card is “the single credible source of identity” for all citizens and lawful residents in the country.
The agency stated that the ruling sends a strong warning to individuals who may attempt to manipulate or compromise the registration process. It added that fraudulent registration is not only illegal but poses risks to national security, public trust, and government planning.
Ghana, like many African countries including Nigeria, has prioritized building a secure and reliable national identification system to streamline government services, promote financial inclusion, and strengthen national security. The Ghana Card is used for a wide range of activities, including banking transactions, mobile money registration, SIM card verification, passport applications, social protection programs, voter registration, and immigration services.
Because of its importance, the NIA has consistently emphasized that the system must be free from fraud and manipulation. Officials say allowing fake identities into the database could compromise national security, expose the country to crime, and undermine the credibility of the entire system.
The NIA noted in its statement that maintaining the integrity of the Ghana Card is not solely the responsibility of the Authority. It urged the public to report suspicious activities during registration exercises and to support lawful identification processes, stressing that safeguarding the national ID system is a “shared responsibility.”
In recent years, Ghana has increased efforts to crack down on identity fraud, especially cases involving non-citizens seeking to improperly obtain Ghana Cards. The NIA has repeatedly warned foreigners that only those legally resident in the country and meeting the necessary requirements are allowed to obtain the card.
Ghana’s government has invested heavily in building a robust ID system to support its digital economy agenda. Ensuring the accuracy of the national database is therefore seen as essential to the country’s long-term development plan.
Cases involving Nigerians using forged documents abroad are not new, though they often involve a minority of individuals. The Nigerian government has repeatedly emphasized that such cases should not define the character of the millions of law-abiding Nigerians living across the continent.
Nevertheless, incidents like the Madina case attract attention because of the wider regional challenges posed by identity fraud in West Africa. Both Nigeria and Ghana have been working to strengthen border control, harmonize data systems, and share intelligence to address such crimes.
As part of the court’s ruling, Isaac and Egbe will be deported immediately after completing their sentences. Deportation is a common penalty in Ghana for foreign nationals who commit crimes involving national security or identity systems.
Reactions to the sentencing have been mixed. Some Ghanaians praised the court for its firmness, saying the punishment was necessary to protect national interests. Others called for better public awareness campaigns to educate foreigners about the legal requirements for obtaining national identification.
Many Nigerians living legally in Ghana also expressed concern that the actions of a few individuals could lead to unfair profiling of the wider Nigerian community, which has a strong presence in trade, education, and business across Ghana.
