Ghana unveils redesigned cedi banknotes for December rollout
The Heritage Series keeps all eight denominations, while existing notes will remain valid alongside the redesigned currency.
The Bank of Ghana introduced its Heritage Series of cedi banknotes on 12 November, with circulation scheduled to begin on 1 December 2026. The redesign combines portraits of historical figures with national landmarks and security changes intended to counter forgery.
The central bank said the new series does not change the currency’s value or invalidate notes already in use. It retains the denominations GH₵1, GH₵2, GH₵5, GH₵10, GH₵20, GH₵50, GH₵100 and GH₵200. Existing and redesigned banknotes will be used together.
Among the people depicted are market trader and market queen Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome on GH₵1, paired with Makola Market, and Ghana’s first female judge, Annie Ruth Jiagge, on GH₵10, alongside the Supreme Court building. The GH₵100 design features former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the peacekeeping training center bearing his name. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, appears with his Accra mausoleum on GH₵200.
Governor Johnson Asiama said the redesign improves security and durability. Dominic Owusu, the bank’s director of currency management, said the current GH₵200 note can be difficult to fit into wallets; its replacement has a smaller format. According to the bank, the existing core designs have been used for more than two decades.
The bank plans public education across the country on recognizing the designs and security features. It said holders do not need to exchange existing notes and urged careful handling to limit damage and replacement costs.
