The Bank of Ghana has launched upgraded Ghana cedi banknotes featuring enhanced security features, improved durability and more portable sizes.

The new notes, introduced under the Ghana Heritage Series, are intended to strengthen the security of the cedi, improve convenience in everyday transactions and promote a renewed sense of national pride in Ghana’s currency.

The upgraded banknotes feature distinctive designs incorporating national heroes, historic sites, monuments and Adinkra symbols, marking the first time these cultural elements have been included in the currency’s design.

Purpose of the redesign

The redesign seeks to strengthen anti-counterfeiting measures, improve machine readability for banks and retailers, reduce long-term currency replacement costs and reinforce national identity through the design of the banknotes.

Speaking at the launch, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, said a national currency is more than a means of payment, representing a country’s capacity to manage its monetary affairs through its own institutions and providing the foundation on which economic activity takes place.

“This launch is more than the introduction of upgraded notes. It is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our responsibility to protect the cedi, to celebrate the heritage that defines us and prepare our currency for the demands of a changing world,” he stated.

He noted that the credibility of a currency depends on sound policies, effective institutions and the confidence of the people who use it.

Dr Asiama added that the Ghana Heritage Series represents another step in the Bank of Ghana’s ongoing efforts to modernise currency management and sustain public confidence in the country’s national currency.