Ghana has introduced a new digital tool designed to help people verify a prospective partner’s marital status before committing to a relationship.

The Ministry of Gender has launched Marrify, an app that allows users to check whether an individual is already legally married, in a move aimed at reducing the emotional and financial risks associated with hidden marriages.

The platform reportedly provides access to marriage-related information, including records of licensed Imams, approved venues and divorce records dating as far back as 1886.

By bringing the information into one digital platform, Marrify is expected to make it easier for individuals to conduct basic background checks before entering into marriage.

The initiative is particularly targeted at preventing situations where unsuspecting partners discover after marriage that their spouse was already married or had concealed important details about their marital history.

Beyond helping people verify partners, the platform also brings together marriage-related services and historical records, potentially making it easier for users to navigate Ghana’s marriage registration system.

The ministry said the initiative is intended to help individuals make more informed decisions and avoid the emotional distress, legal complications and financial consequences that can arise from undisclosed marriages.

With Marrify, Ghana is taking its marriage verification process into the digital space, giving prospective couples another tool to establish the facts before saying “I do.”