The Gambia launches sovereign digital ID system built by Margins ID Group

The Gambia has officially launched its National Identity Management System (NIMS) in an upgrade of its identification infrastructure and a major step towards the implementation of a trusted and sovereign digital public infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem.

According to the government, the new system has instant issuance capability of the GAM ID, which moves ID production from a delayed and bureaucratic process to a real-time service delivery model that meets the pressing demands of citizens. This also aligns with the World Bank’s emphasis on user-centric design and inclusivity of digital ID systems, so that the value of one’s ID card is activated immediately upon biometric enrolment.

President Adama Barrow, who presided over the launching ceremony on June 30, was the first citizen to be issued the card, which is expected to significantly facilitate how citizens obtain services from public institutions as well as the private sector.

The project is being delivered by Margins ID Systems Applications (MIDSA), a subsidiary of Ghana’s Margins ID Group, under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement that followed about five years of negotiations with the Gambian government. MIDSA was formally awarded the contract in January to design, deploy and operate an integrated National Identity Management System linking government agencies and simplifying access to public services.

With the ID card system is already in place, a pilot will take place from July 6-29 for selected institutions before nationwide enrolment commences on August 4, according to a statement from the Ministry of Information.  Margins ID stated in a LinkedIn post that it has donated vehicles to support the ID enrolment process.

Both President Barrow and the Director General of the Gambia Information and Communication Technology Agency (GICTA), Prof. Abdou Karim Diallo, underscored the importance of the identity card as a foundational tool to modernise service delivery and enable trust in all digital transactions.

Margins ID Group CEO, Moses Baiden Jr., emphasized the sovereignty aspect of the project, noting that a newly built data centre is meant to host the NIMS database on home soil, which is vital for the country’s drive toward the new digital economy.

The Gambia’s new ID system is a substantial shift from the previous one, which was largely fragmented, less trusted and suffered contractual problems. The new system is in tune with contemporary thinking, where many countries no longer want to keep siloed identity systems that are neither interoperable nor sufficiently secure. Baiden made the case for digital ID interoperability in a presentation at the 2026 ID4Africa AGM.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital ID infrastructure  |  digital public infrastructure  |  identity document  |  Margins ID Group  |  public-private partnerships  |  The Gambia