Gambian government to rollout digital ID nationwide

The government of Gambia has initiated the enrolment process for the new biometric national ID card for citizens in the capital, marking the beginning of the first phase of the programme.

Residents of the Greater Banjul area are currently receiving services, with staff providing assistance at specific registration centres, [1] as stated in a recent announcement from the Ministry of Information. Adama Barrow, [2] who is the Gambian President, officiated a ceremony [3] to launch the new ID system, developed by Margins ID Systems Ltd, a subsidiary of Ghana's Margins ID Group. President Barrow said, “From today, Gambians age 18 years and above can enrol and receive their national identity card instantly. The card has secure biometric and public key infrastructure, fully compliant with ECOWAS and ICAO standards. This developer reflects the principle that the identity of Gambians belongs to The Gambia. Every item of data collected remains the property of the government and the people of The Gambia. It is operated on infrastructure on our soil, and for a defined period, there will be full competence transfer entirely to the state.”

Moses Baiden, who [4] is the CEO of Margins ID Group also said, “It is quite satisfying, and today we actualize a dream that we’ve been pursuing with you since we started about five years ago. The data centre that belongs to the people of Gambia is going to form the foundation of NIMS, to drive Gambia into the new digital economy. With this digital platform, Africa can escape the legacy systems of the previous revolution that we have missed, and allow us to ascend as modern nations into the new world without any hindrances. We are happy to join the government of Gambia and the President of Gambia to conceptualize, to design, to finance, and to operationalize such a fantastic system.”

The company is tasked, under a Public-Private Partnership framework, with modernizing the infrastructure, managing it for several years, and subsequently transferring it to the government. The PPP model is becoming more common in the development of digital public infrastructure or DPI projects. Gambia introduced the new ID system that represents a significant departure from the previous one, characterized by fragmentation, diminished trust, and contractual challenges. The government states that this new system aligns with a growing global trend among nations to unify identity systems in order to enhance interoperability and security.

Officials are encouraging citizens to participate in the enrolment process for the ID card, which they assert will serve as a vital resource for accessing various public and private sector services, as well as supporting the country's national development objectives. On May 2024 a validation workshop for Gambia's national digital ID and Digital Transformation Strategy for 2023-2028 was held [5] by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The workshop included two sets of group discussions aimed at refining and validating the action plans for both the digital ID and Digital Transformation strategies.

A national digital ID strategy [6] report was also released, by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy who argues there is a strong case for digital ID, “This document describes the Government's strategy to create a national digital ID system in Gambia. The digital ID will establish a digital identity consisting of a minimum set of data, including a unique number, biographical data and biometric information. Biometric data will prevent duplicate registration for services. The system will enable citizens and residents to access a wide range of public and private services reliably. It will also help the private sector and government reduce fraud and fake identities and cut transaction costs in verifying identities. International studies show that identity systems can significantly support economic growth and access to financial services,” stated the Executive Summary.

On February 16 2026, the Gambian government announced [7] the digitization of payments for national identity cards and residential permits. This initiative is intended to eliminate cash transactions at major processing centres, decrease-waiting times, and improve accountability in the management of public finances. Sering Modou Njie, [8] who is the Foreign Affairs Minister said, “This is part of our broader reforms for public finance management. By shifting to digital payments, we aim to cut down on long waiting times, minimize cash-handling risks, and promote greater transparency and efficiency in government services.”

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