After 2 decades, Africa's gold powerhouse Ghana unveils new cedi notes featuring its heritage, heroes and national identity

After more than two decades with largely unchanged banknotes, Ghana is giving its currency a new identity, unveiling a redesigned series that puts the country’s heritage, national heroes and cultural symbols at the centre.

• Ghana will introduce a redesigned series of cedi banknotes called the Heritage Series starting November 3, 2026.
• The new notes will showcase the nation's heritage, heroes, and cultural symbols while modernizing security features.
• All eight existing denominations (GH¢1 to GH¢200) will be redesigned, but the value and function of the cedi remain unchanged.
• The changes focus on improved durability, advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, and more efficient currency management.

The West African nation, one of Africa’s biggest gold producers, will begin circulating the new Heritage Series of Ghana cedi notes from November 3, 2026, as the Bank of Ghana moves to modernise the currency while strengthening its security features.

The redesign covers all eight existing denominations, from the GH¢1 note to the GH¢200 note, but does not replace the cedi or change its value.

The series will cover the existing GH¢1, GH¢2, GH¢5, GH¢10, GH¢20, GH¢50, GH¢100 and GH¢200 denominations.

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The Bank of Ghana says the redesign is intended to modernise the currency while strengthening its security and durability. The new series carries the theme, “The Cedi, Our Future Secured; Designed to Last.”

Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Pandit Asiama said the cedi represents more than a means of payment, describing it as “a symbol of our economic sovereignty and an important instrument of economic activity.”

A currency designed to tell Ghana’s story

The Heritage Series will also give the central bank an opportunity to put Ghanaian history and culture more prominently on its currency.

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According to Asiama, the redesigned notes will “honour our national heroes and celebrate Ghana’s heritage, culture and identity through modern and progressive currency designs.” Each denomination is inspired by Ghanaian iconographic elements intended to tell the country’s past while looking towards its future.

Ghana’s current generation of cedi banknotes has been in circulation for more than two decades, with the designs originating from the country’s 2007 currency reform. While the Bank of Ghana has introduced security upgrades and other modifications over the years, the core visual identity of the notes has remained largely unchanged.

The Heritage Series marks a major departure from that design era, bringing new imagery and cultural elements to the eight existing denominations while retaining their face values.

The redesign also responds to changes in currency technology and counterfeiting risks. The Bank of Ghana said the existing designs have been in circulation for more than 20 years, during which security standards and technology have evolved.

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The upgraded notes are therefore being introduced with enhanced security features, improved durability and changes intended to make currency management more efficient and cost-effective.

The change, however, is not a currency replacement.

The existing cedi notes will remain legal tender and will circulate alongside the Heritage Series. Asiama specifically urged Ghanaians not to rush to withdraw or exchange their existing notes simply because the new designs are being introduced.