Ghana Revolutionizes Passport Acquisition with Chip-Embedded Passports: The Legacy of Ablakwa’s Invigoration

Ghana has joined over 140 countries worldwide in issuing ePassports with embedded chips, marking a significant milestone in the country’s passport administration.

The mass rollout of chip-embedded passports, which began on April 28, 2025, is designed to modernize passport acquisition, enhance security, and provide citizens with a better experience.

The long journey of 15 years of strife for modernity and efficiency has been given a real definition.
Many past Ghana’s Foreign Ministers attempted to make this dream a reality. Some efforts were made, but it has taken the youngest Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister to actualize this dream terms.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who can be best described as a workaholic, achieved goals and urged him on in just a few months in the ministry.
Paying huge tributes to his predecessors, Hanna Serwa Tetteh and Ayorkor Botchwey, tells that he understands governance as a continuum.
At the launch and rollout of the long-awaited e-passport, partners and government officials narrated the role the Minister played in making the day a reality. He personally joined the technical team in their test-runnings and made sure it worked, showing nothing but a serious minister.

Ghana, per International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirement, has up to 2030 to fully swap to the chip-embedded passport. And for Ghana to be a part of less than 200 (as at December 2024) countries to issue chip-embedded passports deserves recommendation. This is to facilitate the travels of citizens and make their business better.
Benefits to Ghanaians:
Enhanced Security: The chip-embedded passports feature superior security inputs, making them almost impossible to forge.
Faster Turnaround Time: Regular applications will be handled in 15 working days, while expedited services will take only 5 working days.
Convenience: The Passport Head Office will operate 24/7, and applicants can track the status of their applications through an e-tracking system.
Reduced Application Fees: Cabinet has approved a reduction in application fees from GHS500 to GHS350, awaiting parliamentary approval.
Courier Delivery: Ghana Post and Troskit will deliver passports to Ghanaians everywhere.

Meeting International Standards:
The new passports meet the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) requirements, and Ghana joins the growing list of countries issuing ePassports. According to the ICAO, current passports will become outdated by 2030.
What to Expect:
Citizens are advised to keep their chip-embedded passports away from heat and liquids.
Store them properly to prevent bending or damage.
Avoid inserting other chip-enabled cards into the passport.
Do not keep it in back pockets, where it could be bent or damaged.
A New Era for Passport Services:
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, emphasized that the introduction of chip-embedded passports symbolizes a reset and ushers in a new era of modernization, convenience, and respect for Ghanaian citizens. With the rollout of chip-embedded passports, Ghana is poised to enhance the security and efficiency of its passport administration, making it easier for citizens to travel and conduct international business.
Conclusion:
I see no reason why Ghana’s new passport will not cost more than the existing one. Rather, the Minister has insisted on the reduction of passport fees by some GHS150, which seriously comes handy and is very essential to Ghanaians.
Ghanaians abroad have been waiting for acquiring passports from their base to be very difficult, as many have to travel to the mother country for such transactions. With the Minister’s assurances that those people will receive their passports and do not need to come back home for it is refreshing and we must follow up.
Research has shown that some people who urgently needed passports for urgent businesses and transactions have not been successful due to their inability to acquire passports in that limited time, losing huge opportunities. The Minister’s assurances that the acquisition of passports must not be more than 15 working days, if all documents are correct, will not only be refreshing but will give people a sigh of relief. Business members, athletes, footballers, women, and all manner of persons will have a sigh of relief.
As we keep our eye on the successes chalked at the ministry, we expect technocrats to hold a part and push the 24-hour passport agenda not for the NDC Government, but for Ghana and Ghanaians.
NOTE: Citizens can call the 24-hour hotline on 0302 75 4200 for their chip-embedded passport irrespective of their location.