Ghana has rolled out a biometric tracking system to enhance border security and facilitate legitimate trade, Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak announced on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at the African Prosperity Dialogue.
Delivering his keynote address at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), Muntaka highlighted the need for a modern, intelligence driven approach to border management to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The minister said that without security, trade cannot flourish, and without orderly mobility, integration cannot succeed. He emphasized that Africa’s borders must act as bridges for prosperity rather than barriers.
Muntaka explained that Ghana, with 48 legitimate border crossing points and over 250 unapproved ones, faces significant security challenges, including trafficking, terrorism, and illicit flows. To tackle these risks while enabling free movement, the government has introduced a biometric system that tracks passengers entering the country.
Since November 2025, the system has allowed authorities to know who is boarding flights and their seating arrangements before takeoff. Plans are underway to integrate this technology across land, sea, and other crossing points, ensuring that border enforcement is targeted and intelligence led, rather than broad and indiscriminate.
The minister stressed that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly those led by women and youth, face delays and harassment at borders. He noted that non-tariff barriers, excessive documentation, and fragmented enforcement undermine the objectives of AfCFTA.
To address these issues, the Interior Ministry is working closely with the Trade Ministry, customs, and security agencies to reduce friction for traders through transparent procedures, grievance mechanisms, and regional cooperation.
Muntaka said regional cooperation, such as harmonized protocols and one-stop border posts, has already shown promise in reducing delays and corruption. He highlighted the importance of joint operations and intelligence sharing across countries.
The minister further called for the implementation of a continental biometric identity system under the African Union, linking national digital IDs to continental standards. Such a system would enable real-time traceability, risk profiling, and efficient processing, facilitating legitimate movement while enhancing security.
The call aligns with Ghana’s broader digital identity reforms. In October 2025, President John Dramani Mahama directed all state institutions to harmonize their biometric identification and verification systems within six months, mandating integration with the National Identification Authority database to eliminate duplication and reduce costs.
Ghana has also upgraded its border infrastructure. In December 2024, the government commissioned biometric e-gates at Terminal 3 of Kotoka International Airport, integrating biometric verification and digital travel credential technologies to facilitate immigration controls. Plans are underway to extend the e-gate system to other major airports, land borders, and seaports across the country.
The country also launched chip-embedded electronic passports in April 2025, featuring secure microchips that store biometric and photographic data, along with over 100 advanced security elements compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
Muntaka said a borderless Africa does not mean borderless security but rather smart borders. He added that mobility must be intelligent, accountable, and technology driven.
The minister’s remarks come as African leaders seek to accelerate trade integration under AfCFTA, which brings together a market of 1.5 billion people with a combined gross domestic product of approximately 2.8 trillion United States dollars. However, high transaction costs, inefficient logistics, and cumbersome border procedures remain major barriers to intra-African commerce.
