Africa Markets

Bank of Ghana to Issue Redesigned Cedi Notes From December 1, With Old Notes Still Legal Tender

The Heritage Series will circulate alongside all eight existing denominations, as the central bank also prepares a new Currency Act to replace a 1964 law.

By Tumisang Bogwasi 3 min read
Bank of Ghana building on High Street in Accra
The Bank of Ghana building on High Street, Accra (file). Photo: Natsubee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

ACCRA – The Bank of Ghana will begin issuing redesigned cedi banknotes on 1 December, and the notes already in people’s wallets will stay legal tender, Governor Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama said on Thursday, 12 November.

Highlights

  • The Bank of Ghana will put its redesigned Heritage Series banknotes into circulation from 1 December 2026.
  • Existing cedi notes remain legal tender and will circulate alongside the new series, Governor Johnson Pandit Asiama said.
  • The new notes have stronger anti-counterfeiting features, are more durable and are smaller, the central bank said.
  • The bank is working on a new Currency Act to replace the 1964 law and toughen penalties for counterfeiting.

President John Dramani Mahama launched the upgraded Ghana Cedi Heritage Series at Bank Square in Accra, the Ghana News Agency reported. The new notes will circulate alongside all eight existing denominations, from GH¢1 to GH¢200.

“The Heritage Series will be introduced into circulation from December 1, 2026, and will circulate alongside the existing series, which remains legal tender,” Asiama said, according to Nairametrics and MyJoyOnline. “This approach will allow the public and businesses to adjust smoothly to the Heritage banknotes without unnecessary disruption to economic activity.”

What changes

The central bank said the notes have enhanced security features that make them harder to counterfeit and easier to check, are more durable in Ghana’s climate and under heavy handling, and are smaller and more portable. Their designs feature national heroes, historic sites, monuments and Adinkra symbols.

Beyond the notes themselves, the bank is working with stakeholders on a new Currency Act to replace the Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242). The proposed law would strengthen penalties for counterfeiting, set out how fake notes are handled and protect against the mutilation and defacement of currency, Nairametrics reported.

The bank also announced:

  • A Cedi App to help people recognise the new notes’ security features, including features for people with visual impairments.
  • New cash centres at its Ho and Tamale regional offices.
  • An in-house currency operations system to improve coordination with commercial banks.
  • A nationwide education campaign in major local languages.

Cash still matters

Asiama argued that physical cash remains essential even as digital payments grow. “Payment networks can be disrupted by technical failures, cyber incidents, natural disasters and deliberate attacks,” he said, according to the Ghana News Agency.

Why it matters

Keeping old notes in circulation is a deliberate contrast with Nigeria’s 2022-23 naira redesign, when a short deadline for swapping old notes led to cash shortages until the Supreme Court allowed the old and new notes to circulate together. For businesses, Ghana’s approach means no deadline to swap notes, though cash handlers, banks and retailers will need to train staff and update note-checking equipment.

The launch comes ahead of the Bank of Ghana’s 70th anniversary on 4 March 2027. It coincides with the government’s 2027 budget, which set out a US$10 billion New Economy programme on the same day.

Sources

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Africa Markets

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Tumisang Bogwasi

Tumisang Bogwasi, Founder & CEO of Brimco. 2X Award-Winning Entrepreneur. It all started with a popsicle stand.

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