Ghana’s new Cedi notes: Heritage Series launched
Ghanaians will start seeing a different set of banknotes in their wallets next month. The Bank of Ghana has unveiled the Heritage Series, a redesigned family of cedi notes that goes into circulation on December 1, 2026. Nothing about the money’s worth is changing, and the notes people already hold can still be spent.
The central bank describes the project as a physical upgrade, not a currency reform. All eight current denominations, from GH¢1 up to GH¢200, get the new look. No new denomination has been added, the cedi’s value stays where it is, and coins are not part of this round.
Officials say the main aims are tougher security and a longer life in the hand. The notes carry upgraded anti-counterfeiting features and are printed on reinforced cotton paper meant to cope with Ghana’s heat and humidity and the wear of constant handling. They are also smaller than the current notes, which should make them easier to carry and count.
The artwork leans on national memory. The notes feature national heroes, historic sites, monuments and Adinkra symbols, a deliberate effort to put Ghana’s history and cultural identity into everyday transactions.
For people with visual impairments, the denominations remain different sizes so they can be told apart by touch, and the tactile marks have been strengthened. The central bank is also looking at a mobile app that would scan a note and announce its value, along with a second app for checking whether a note is genuine.
There is no need to queue at the bank. The existing notes will keep circulating beside the new ones, and banks will withdraw them gradually as the Heritage Series takes over. The bank says the change is overdue because the current designs have been in use for more than 20 years and need to keep pace with advances in currency technology and security standards.
Much will depend on how quickly the public takes to the new notes and how well the security features hold up against counterfeiters.
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