Over 2,000 churches in Greater Accra operating without registration – Ahmed Ibrahim

February 19, 2026

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has disclosed that over 2,000 churches in the Greater Accra Region are operating without official registration, sparking concerns about weak regulatory control within the country’s fast-growing religious landscape.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Mr Ibrahim noted that while more than 2,200 churches in Greater Accra had been duly registered as of 2025, many others nationwide remain outside the formal system. He announced plans to roll out a digital registry aimed at simplifying the registration process and generating reliable national data on religious institutions.

He explained that the initiative would involve cooperation among key state bodies to authenticate and monitor churches across the country. According to him, the government will collaborate with the Registrar General’s Department, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Ministry of Justice to review records of churches registered as companies limited by guarantee.

Mr Ibrahim added that metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies would keep local records of churches within their areas, while the new digital system would enable religious organisations to update their operational details in real time.

Regional survey data indicates that approximately 98.1% of churches in Greater Accra function as single-owner entities, with only a small fraction affiliated with larger denominations. Although the Registrar General’s Department does not publish a unified national total, estimates suggest that the number of churches across the country runs into several thousands.

The Minister said the new platform would enhance governance and boost transparency within the religious sector. He emphasised that maintaining accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date data would support effective planning, regulation, and oversight.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of Christianity’s continued expansion in Ghana. Figures from the Ghana Statistical Service show that 71.2% of the population identified as Christian in the 2021 Population and Housing Census. This includes 31.6% Pentecostal or Charismatic Christians, 18.4% Protestants, 10% Catholics, and 11.2% belonging to other Christian denominations.

The proposed digital registry will be integrated with the Registrar General’s database to help verify active churches and strengthen accountability within the sector. Mr Ibrahim described the move as a crucial step toward modernising administrative systems and tightening regulation in a sector that has experienced significant growth in recent decades.