Ghana Proposes Mandatory Registration of .gh Domains; Failure to Comply Could Result in Severe Penalties

The West African nation of Ghana is pushing forward with new domain name legislation, proposing to mandate the use of .gh domains by all legally registered or operating businesses and organizations within the country. According to Article 21, "Mandatory Registration," of the draft Ghana Domain Name Registration Act, all businesses must register and maintain a valid .gh domain for their official websites or digital platforms accessible to the public, and use the domain in official digital communications and transactions conducted domestically or from within the country.

The draft stipulates that businesses not yet using .gh domains must complete the switch within six months of the law's enactment. Exemptions are provided for businesses that do not primarily target Ghanaian users or whose digital platforms are hosted overseas; these businesses must submit a formal application to the registry for approval.

Failure to comply will result in severe penalties. Penalties include fines on the business and its directors, suspension or revocation of government-issued licenses. Furthermore, the registry can petition the Supreme Court of Ghana to seize, block, or disable non-compliant domains to ensure the law's enforceability.

Currently, the draft legislation is in the public consultation phase, with the deadline for submitting opinions being November 7, 2025.

Source: domain-recht