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The short answer
A Ghanaian bank sells foreign currency against a stated purpose and documents, not on demand. Under Bank of Ghana Notice BG/GOV/SEC/2025/14 (15 May 2025), a person without a foreign currency account can buy up to US$10,000 or equivalent per trip for travel, against a valid passport, visa and confirmed ticket. For other purposes, each bank applies its own rules under the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723).
Many Nigerians in Ghana earn or hold cedis and at some point need dollars: for a trip, a school fee abroad, an online purchase or simply to hold value. Walking into a bank hall in Accra and asking for dollars over the counter rarely works the way it does at a bureau. Banks are authorised dealers under Ghana's foreign exchange law, and they sell foreign currency for a purpose they can document. This guide sets out what the Bank of Ghana's own notice says, what one bank's published terms add, and what to prepare.
The rule that applies to most people: buying for travel
The clearest published rule is in Bank of Ghana Notice BG/GOV/SEC/2025/14, dated 15 May 2025 and issued under the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723). It says that people who do not hold a Foreign Exchange Account (FEA) or Foreign Currency Account (FCA) may buy foreign currency for travel abroad, capped at US$10,000 or its equivalent per person per trip. The purchase needs:
- a valid passport
- a visa for the destination, where one is required
- a confirmed travel ticket
The notice points back to an earlier notice, BG/GOV/SEC/2014/09, for these documents, and says the Bank had not contemplated reviewing the existing measures. For a Nigerian travelling home, note that a Nigerian passport holder does not need a visa for Nigeria, so ask the branch which document it accepts in place of a visa for that route; the notice does not address this case.
Buying for other purposes: the bank's own terms
Outside travel, the detail sits in each bank's terms and in the Bank of Ghana's Authorised Dealer Manual, which banks follow but which is not published as a public page. First National Bank Ghana's Foreign Exchange Terms and Conditions (last amended 9 November 2023) are a useful window into how banks apply the rules. Among other things they state:
- "Foreign Currency can only be bought by Residents of Ghana" (clause 3.1.5). The same document defines a resident as someone who "has taken up permanent residence, is domiciled or registered in Ghana".
- Currency bought may only be used for the purpose for which it was made available (3.1.1).
- No transaction is processed until the application form is complete, and the bank may ask for more documents (2.19, 2.23).
- The customer must not apply to another authorised dealer for the same transaction (3.1.2).
- The bank reports all cross-border transactions to the Bank of Ghana (3.1.6).
Other banks word their terms differently. The practical point is the same: expect to say why you need the dollars, show evidence (an invoice, admission letter, ticket) and sign a form.
Identity: the non-citizen Ghana Card
A September 2026 Rio Times guide reports that a revised Bank of Ghana notice (BG/GOV/SEC/2025/36, effective 1 December 2025) makes the Ghana Card the sole identity document for financial transactions, with the Non-Citizen Identity Card as the equivalent for foreigners. We could not open the notice itself, so treat this as reported and ask your bank. If you have lived in Ghana for some time and not yet registered with the National Identification Authority, expect the bank to ask for the card before it sells you currency or opens an account.
A worked example
Example only. Adaeze lives in Tema, holds only a cedi current account and is flying to Lagos for a family wedding. She wants US$1,500 in cash.
- She books her flight and keeps the confirmed e-ticket.
- At her bank she asks for a foreign currency purchase for travel and fills in the bank's application.
- She shows her Nigerian passport, her non-citizen Ghana Card and the ticket.
- The bank quotes its selling rate. If the rate is, say, GH₵ 12 per dollar (an illustrative figure, not a current one), US$1,500 costs GH₵ 18,000, before any commission the bank lists in its tariff.
The real rate is the bank's own selling rate on the day; banks add a margin over the interbank rate, and First National Bank's terms say margins apply to all transactions (clause 5.1). Ask for the rate and any commission in writing before you pay.
Bank or forex bureau?
Licensed forex bureaus also sell dollars, and their documentation can be lighter for small amounts, but we did not find a Bank of Ghana page setting bureau limits for non-citizens, so check with the bureau and keep its receipt. Avoid street dealers: you lose any record of the trade and any recourse if notes are fake. If you will need dollars often, an FCA or FEA may suit you better than repeated purchases; see our guide on the difference between an FEA and an FCA and on opening a forex account as a Nigerian resident.
What to check first
- Your purpose and the evidence for it (ticket, invoice, admission letter).
- Whether your bank treats you as a resident under its own definition.
- Your non-citizen Ghana Card status.
- The bank's selling rate and commission, in writing.
- Cash rules for travel: First National Bank's terms limit cash carried when travelling to US$10,000 (clause 3.1.4).
Where Pryme fits
If your need is to hold dollars rather than carry cash, a Pryme account opened from Ghana holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR with local account details for each. Money stays in the currency it arrived in; Swap converts only when you choose, and the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Cedis are not one of the account currencies. See how the multicurrency account works.
Questions people ask
Can a foreigner buy dollars at a bank in Ghana?
Yes for travel: Bank of Ghana Notice BG/GOV/SEC/2025/14 allows up to US$10,000 per person per trip against a passport, visa and ticket. For other purposes, banks set terms; First National Bank's terms say only residents may buy foreign currency.
How much dollars can I buy in Ghana for travel?
Up to US$10,000 or its equivalent per person per trip, if you do not hold an FEA or FCA, according to the May 2025 notice.
Do I need a Ghana Card to buy dollars?
Reports say Ghana Card (or the non-citizen card) is now required for financial transactions. Ask your bank before you go.
Can I buy dollars with cedis online in Ghana?
Some banks offer online quotes; First National Bank's terms say accepting an online quote commits you to that rate. Check your own bank's app.
Sources
- Bank of Ghana Notice BG/GOV/SEC/2025/14: Foreign exchange withdrawals (15 May 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- First National Bank Ghana: Foreign Exchange Terms and Conditions (amended 9 Nov 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- The Rio Times: Opening a bank account in Ghana as a foreigner 2026 (21 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
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