Madagascar codifies civil registry reform, readies biometric ID card tender

A bill on the identification of natural persons in Madagascar has received the greenlight of the senate in a major boost for the country’s digital transformation agenda.

The Senate adopted the text on July 4, days after it had received the vetting of the lower chamber of parliament, consultant Jean Aholou, who contributed to the drafting of the legislation, said in a LinkedIn post. It was among 10 bills endorsed that day by the Senate, according to a post on the institution’s Facebook page.

Aholou said the adopted legislation paves the way for the modernization of Madagascar’s national ID system, aligning it with international standards and the objectives of the country’s Digital Governance and Identification Management Project (PRODIGY).

PRODIGY was launched five years ago and is getting about $143 million funding support from the World Bank with the aim of building digital public infrastructure aimed at facilitating access to public services while also contributing to the growth of the Island nation’s digital economy. A key objective of the project, which will run till 2026, is to enable Madagascar meet the SDG 16.9 objectives of legal ID for all including birth registration by 2030.

The new bill, apart from providing the legal framework for the identification of natural persons, also overhauls the civil registration mechanism in order to enhance inclusion and respect for human rights.

Aholou, who’s is also National Coordinator of the WURI Benin project, noted in his LinkedIn message that the new dispensation also recognizes the unique identification certificate as a legal ID document, and makes the ID system more reliable and secure.

This development comes just weeks after Madagascar’s digital government agency announced an imminent call to tender for the printing of national biometric ID cards on a large scale under PRODIGY.

The government held an online event to this effect on June 11 to discuss the tender process needs and expectations.

The move is part of PRODIGY which is aimed at modernizing public services, strengthening digital governance, and improving citizens’ access to basic administrative services, the government said in an early market engagement notice with explains the scope of the tender.

The tender seeks a contractor that can supply a secure national ID card production system, consumables, specialized printing equipment, card personalization, packaging and delivery, as well as service supervision, staff training and other related technical assistance.

A pair of likely candidates for the contract have already picked up contracts under PRODIGY. Laxton, which is expected to bequeath a majority stake to DNP this month, is involved in the project with the supply of biometric registration kits. Similarly, IN Groupe was awarded a contract to modernize Madagascar’s civil registry and create a digital ID system for access to public services. IN Groupe completed a takeover of Idemia Smart Identity at the close of last month.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometrics  |  civil registration  |  legislation  |  Madagascar  |  national ID  |  Prodigy (Madagascar)  |  tender