The Bank of Ghana has ruled out introducing a higher-value cedi note as part of the new Heritage Series, confirming that GH¢200 will remain the highest denomination.
Head of Currency at the central bank, Dominic Owusu, said the exercise is focused on upgrading the existing banknotes rather than expanding the range of denominations.
“The existing denominations are going to remain the same,” Owusu said in an interview on Eyewitness News on Thursday, September 24.
He added that there would be no new note above GH¢200 when the Heritage Series is launched on November 3, 2026.
“No additional denomination in terms of going beyond 200 is coming on board,” he said. “So, we are only upgrading the existing notes in circulation, nothing more, nothing less.”
The Heritage Series will cover the current denominations of GH¢1, GH¢2, GH¢5, GH¢10, GH¢20, GH¢50, GH¢100 and GH¢200.
The Bank of Ghana announced the initiative after the 132nd Monetary Policy Committee meeting, with the new notes expected to feature improved security, durability and design elements.
According to Mr Owusu, the redesign will also give the central bank an opportunity to incorporate aspects of Ghana’s national heritage into the notes.
“We’ve called it Heritage Series because of the background in terms of the theme that these banknotes are going to communicate to the general public,” he said.
The redesigned notes are expected to feature national heroes, monuments, cultural motifs and other symbols associated with Ghana. The Bank has not yet disclosed the specific designs ahead of the November 3 unveiling.
The central bank is also sticking with cotton-based notes rather than moving to polymer.
Mr Owusu said the Heritage Series would use a 100 per cent cotton substrate, with the material reinforced to improve the durability of the notes.
“We are not introducing anything like polymer,” he said.
Security upgrades will form another major part of the redesign. Mr Owusu said developments in technology, including artificial intelligence, meant the central bank had to keep strengthening the safeguards built into the currency.
“There is a need for the central bank to also incorporate new security features and also enhance the durability of these banknotes,” he said.
The introduction of the Heritage Series will not invalidate the notes currently in circulation.
Existing banknotes will remain legal tender and will circulate alongside the new notes after the launch.
“The existing banknotes and the new banknotes will co-circulate together. So there is no need for anybody to rush to do an exchange,” he said.
