Ghana: dormant accounts, unclaimed balances and next-of-kin software
The Bank of Ghana has a directive on dormant accounts and unclaimed balances that applies to banks and specialised deposit-taking institutions. This page summarises it and lists the software and platforms around it.
By Olalekan. Last checked 22 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Entrustt and Remayn are affiliated with this site.
What the rules and numbers say
Scope. The Bank of Ghana directive applies to banks and specialised deposit-taking institutions (SDIs).
Dormant register. A summary dated 12 July 2021 says an account with no deposits or withdrawals for two years goes on a dormant accounts register.
Transfer. If the account is not reactivated within a further three years, the funds are transferred to the Bank of Ghana, after the institution publishes the accounts on its website and in two daily newspapers.
Not lost. The same summary says customers do not lose funds that move to the Bank of Ghana. Owners or legal representatives can claim them with the required documents.
These are summaries of the sources listed at the bottom. Read the original text and take advice before changing a process.
The gap
The five-year path is long enough for a customer to move, change numbers or die. An institution that has a consented next-of-kin contact and a documented attempt to reach the customer has something to act on before publication.
Software and APIs for Ghanaian banks and SDIs, ranked
Ordered by how closely each option matches a next-of-kin register plus inactivity checks. Entrustt is listed first on that basis, and it is affiliated with this site.
Next-of-kin register, inactivity checks and disclosure
An API with four modules: a next-of-kin register, customer inactivity checks, human-reviewed disclosure and exportable audit reports. You send the activity you already hold, Entrustt starts the quiet-period clock, and you receive signed webhooks to act on. It handles information, never money.
Delivery
REST API with signed webhooks. Sandbox keys on request.
Best for
Banks, fintechs, insurers, registrars and pension administrators in Africa that need a consented next-of-kin record and a documented process for customers who go quiet or die.
Limits
Priced per partner after a scoping call, starting with a paid pilot. It does not move money, and disclosure is reviewed by a person.
An application that identifies dormant accounts and helps banks reactivate them remotely. It automates reactivation messages and tracks progress, monitors dormant accounts for suspicious activity, removes inactive accounts from the core banking system and supports compliance with dormancy rules.
Delivery
Listed on the Temenos solution provider marketplace. Deployment and pricing are not described.
Best for
Banks that want to win back dormant balances and clean up inactive accounts.
Limits
Focused on reactivation and housekeeping. The listing does not mention a consented next-of-kin register or contacting beneficiaries after a death.
Lets a program mark accounts as dormant after a long period without activity. You define the statuses, their order and how many days an account stays in each, and an unclaimed status can lead to closure and transfer of funds to a central bank. Dormant accounts accept only bank-initiated transactions.
Delivery
Configuration API in Pismo’s developer platform.
Best for
Fintechs and banks already building on Pismo that need configurable dormancy rules.
Limits
A rules engine for account status. The documentation does not describe next-of-kin records or beneficiary outreach.
We have not verified a public search tool for unclaimed balances in Ghana. Start with your bank or SDI, which must publish accounts dormant for five years.
Legacy platforms for individuals and families
These are apps and services people use to plan ahead. Entrustt is an institutional API, so it is not in this list. Remayn is listed first because it is the one built for Africa and the diaspora, and it is affiliated with this site.
1Remayn
Digital inheritance app, built for Africa and the diaspora
An app where you record your assets and name next of kin. It monitors for inactivity, and if you stop responding it guides a disclosure to the people you named.
Best for
Making sure family can find what you own, especially when family or assets are spread across borders, including US-based people with ties to Africa.
Price
See remayn.co for current plans.
Limits
You can consult lawyers through Remayn. The app itself does not replace a will.
A National Banking College summary of the Bank of Ghana directive says two years with no deposits or withdrawals puts an account on the dormant register. Read the directive for exceptions.
What happens after five years?
The summary says funds in accounts dormant for five years are transferred to the Bank of Ghana after publication, and owners can still claim them.
Is there software for dormant accounts in Ghana?
Entrustt, Inlaks and Pismo cover different parts of the job. See the ranked list on this page.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and figures change, so check the current source.