Margins Group partners Gambia for national ID project
Margins ID Group, Africa’s leading provider of secure national and digital identification solutions, has secured an international contract to design, build, finance, co-operate and transfer a National ID System and an Integrated Digital ID System for the government of The Gambia.
The landmark agreement represents a defining milestone not only for the company, but for Ghana and the broader African technology ecosystem.
Margins ID Group was selected for the contract after 11 international companies submitted bids in the process which commenced on July 22, 2024.
It makes Margins ID Group the first African-owned company to successfully export a full-scale national and digital identity system beyond its home market, demonstrating Africa’s growing capacity to design, deploy and sustain world-class technology solutions for its own development needs.
“This achievement reflects a new chapter where African technology is designed, trusted and deployed across Africa,” the Group said after signing the agreement in Banjul yesterday.
Due diligence
Following a comprehensive technical and financial evaluation, three firms were shortlisted, with Margins ID Group emerging as the successful bidder based on superior technical design, competitive advantage, and proven delivery capacity.
As part of the due-diligence process, delegations from The Gambia conducted extensive inspections of Intelligent Card Production Systems (ICPS), Margins ID Group’s highly secure card manufacturing facility in Ghana, regarded as one of the most secure facilities of its kind in Africa.
The delegations also visited the group’s technology subsidiary, Margins ID Systems Applications Limited, inspecting its operational capabilities, which will play a central role in the design and deployment of the national identification platforms.
The delegation further assessed Margins’ compliance with international standards, reviewed its eight global certifications, and observed live operations of Ghana’s fully integrated National Identification System, designed, built, financed and co-operated by Margins ID Group in partnership with the National Identification Authority.
“This contract is a defining moment for African digital identity innovation,” the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Margins ID Group, Moses Kwesi Baiden Jnr, said.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, he said the agreement underscored the role of a national identification system as core national infrastructure that underpinned governance and access to services.
“This is a historic milestone. We are deeply grateful to the Government of The Gambia for the trust they have placed in us,” Mr Baiden said.
“What we are doing here in The Gambia is not a replication of any regional system,” he said.
“It incorporates evolved architecture and enhanced security controls.
We have taken the lessons learned from Ghana and built an even stronger, more seamless national identification ecosystem for The Gambia,” he assured the people of The Gambia
Long in coming
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Matar Ceesay, said the project had been under development for an extended period and had involved a whole-of-government approach.
“This is something that has been in the works for a while,” he said, stressing, “That is why government institutions across the board have been involved and have carried out their respective due diligence.”
He referenced multiple technical visits to Ghana as part of the evaluation process.
“We have learned a lot from coming to Ghana several times,” he said.
“We are impressed with Margins ID Group as a company and with what has been accomplished in Ghana.”
Mr Ceesay, who is an engineer, added that The Gambia was looking forward to a tailored solution.
“We are looking forward to a custom setup for The Gambia. One that enhances security, delivers a trusted digital ID, and provides access for Gambians abroad.
This project will touch people’s lives, and we are optimistic about the results,” he added.
National moment
The Minister of Interior, Abdoulie Sanyang, described the signing as a significant national moment.
“Today is a very important day.
This is The Gambia’s third attempt at establishing a national identification system,” he pointed out.
“We got it wrong twice. This time, we looked at every single aspect to make sure there were no errors,” Mr Sanyang stressed.
He referenced Ghana’s experience and expressed confidence in the partnership.
Ghana Card example for Africa
“The Ghana Card system is an example for Africa,” he said. “Margins has done a good work, and we are hopeful that this time, we have gotten it right,” he added.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the government of The Gambia and a broad representation across government agencies.
The implementation of the new identification system will modernise governance in The Gambia, enhance service delivery, and strengthen data protection and privacy for citizens.
It will simplify access to healthcare, financial services, education, and digital public services, while establishing a robust foundation for e-government services, interoperability, and sustainable economic growth.
Background
Margins ID Group is a Ghanaian-owned technology powerhouse with over 35 years of experience delivering secure identity products, services and solutions.
Headquartered in Accra, the group operates key subsidiaries including Margins ID Systems Applications, Intelligent Card Production Systems, and Identity Management Systems, providing end-to-end identity ecosystems from biometric enrolment to secure card production and digital verification.
Margins is the architect and operator of Ghana’s National Identification System, which is foundational to banking, healthcare, telecommunications and public services nationwide.
To date, Margins, in partnership with Ghana’s National Identification Authority, has registered 19.2 million Ghanaians aged 15 years and above.
