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January 29, 2026
Margins ID Group, Africa's leading provider of secure national identification solutions, has signed a landmark international contract with the Government of The Gambia to design, build, finance, co-operate and transfer a National ID System and an Integrated Digital ID System.
The contract was signed on 19th January 2026 at a ceremony attended by senior representatives of the Government of The Gambia, including the Minister of Interior, Abdoulie Sanyang; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Matar Ceesay; the Inspector General of Police, Seedy Muktar Touray; the Director General of the Gambia Immigration Department, Ebrima Mboob; and officials from the Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships and the Ministries of Digital Economy and Justice.
The agreement marks a defining milestone for Margins ID Group, Ghana, and Africa's technology ecosystem. It positions Margins as 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.
The contract followed a highly competitive international tender process that commenced on 22nd July 2024 and attracted 11 global companies. After rigorous 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. The delegations also visited Margins ID Systems Applications Limited, the Group's technology subsidiary, to assess operational capacity critical to the design and deployment of the identification platforms.
The teams reviewed Margins' compliance with international standards, examined 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.ย
Moses Kwesi Baiden Jnr, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Margins ID Group, described the agreement as historic and emphasised the role of national identification systems as core national infrastructure underpinning governance and access to essential services.
"This is a historic milestone. We are deeply grateful to the Government of The Gambia for the trust they have placed in us," he stated, noting Margins' success in a highly competitive international tender against global firms.
Baiden stressed that the system to be deployed in The Gambia is not a replication of any existing platform but an evolution informed by experience.
"What we are doing here in The Gambia 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 explained.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Matar Ceesay, confirmed that the project had been under development for an extended period and involved extensive government-wide due diligence, including multiple technical visits to Ghana.
"We are impressed with Margins ID Group as a company and with what has been accomplished in Ghana," he stated, adding that The Gambia is looking forward to a tailored solution that enhances security, delivers a trusted digital ID, and provides access for Gambians abroad.
The Minister of Interior described the signing as a significant national moment, noting that it represents The Gambia's third attempt at establishing a national identification system.
"The Ghana Card system is an example for Africa. Margins has done good work, and we are hopeful that this time, we have got it right," he emphasised.
The implementation of the new system will modernise governance in The Gambia, enhance service delivery, and strengthen data protection and privacy. It will simplify access to healthcare, financial services, education, and digital public services, whilst establishing a strong foundation for e-government, interoperability, and sustainable economic growth.
Margins ID Group is a Ghanaian-owned technology company with over 35 years of experience delivering secure identity solutions. It is the architect and operator of Ghana's National Identification System, which has registered 19.2 million Ghanaians aged 15 years and above and is fully integrated into 262 institutions nationwide.
