Ghana Launches Marrify App to Verify Marriage and Divorce Status

Ghana has introduced a new digital platform that enables citizens to check the marriage and divorce status of individuals, marking a significant step toward modernising civil records and promoting greater accountability in marriage administration.

The platform, known as Marrify, was launched in Accra by Marry Right Ghana Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Designed as a searchable registry, the app allows users to verify ordinance, customary and Islamic marriages, as well as officially recorded divorces.

Beyond confirming whether someone is legally married or divorced, Marrify also enables users to search for licensed marriage officers, approved marriage venues and registered Imams authorized to solemnize Islamic marriages. Officials say the initiative is intended to make critical marital information more accessible while reducing cases of deception and fraudulent ceremonies.

Speaking at the launch, Ghana’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, encouraged prospective couples to make verification part of the marriage process rather than relying solely on personal assurances. She said the platform promotes integrity and accountability by allowing people to independently confirm the status of a prospective spouse, officiant or marriage venue before making life-changing decisions.

The database draws its records from official institutions, including the Registrar-General’s Department, courts, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and the Ghana Gazette. Users can conduct searches using names, spouses’ names, certificate numbers, Gazette references, towns, churches and denominations, making the registry one of the country’s most comprehensive digital civil record platforms.

Developers have, however, cautioned that the system is still being populated. A search returning no result should not automatically be interpreted as proof that a person has never been married or divorced, as historical records continue to be uploaded and verified. The platform also allows individuals and institutions to submit supporting documents for inclusion in the registry.

The launch reflects Ghana’s broader push toward digital public services and legal record management. As governments across Africa increasingly digitise identity and civil registration systems, Marrify could become a model for how technology helps protect families, strengthen legal certainty and give citizens greater confidence in one of society’s most important institutions.