African tech wins as Margins secures The Gambia ID contact -

In a decisive shift away from decades of dependence on imported Western technology, the continent is increasingly asserting control over its digital tech future by turning to trusted, home-grown solutions.

Africa is increasingly choosing to build its digital future with solutions designed, owned and operated by Africans themselves.

That continental awakening was powerfully underscored on Monday, January 19, 2026, when Ghana’s Margins ID Group secured a historic international contract to design, build, finance, co-operate and transfer a National Identification System and an Integrated Digital ID System for the Government of The Gambia.

The agreement, signed in the presence of senior Gambian government officials, marks far more than a commercial transaction.

It represents a defining moment for African technological self-belief — proof that African companies now possess the capacity, credibility and competence to deliver mission-critical digital infrastructure once dominated by Western multinationals.

For Margins ID Group, the deal cements its position as Africa’s foremost pacesetter in secure identity systems.

For Ghana, it elevates the country as a continental hub for advanced digital identity technology.

And for Africa as a whole, it sends a clear message: the era of outsourcing the continent’s digital sovereignty is giving way to African-designed, African-owned and African-deployed solutions.

“This achievement reflects a new chapter where African technology is designed, trusted and deployed across Africa,” Margins ID Group said, capturing the broader significance of the moment.

A landmark for Africa’s technology ecosystem

The Gambia contract makes Margins ID Group the first African-owned company to successfully export a full-scale national and digital identity system beyond its home market.

In an industry historically dominated by firms from Europe, North America and Asia, the achievement stands as a powerful validation of Africa’s growing technological maturity.

National identification systems are not ordinary IT projects.

They are core national infrastructure — underpinning governance, security, financial inclusion, service delivery and economic participation.

For decades, African countries have relied almost exclusively on foreign vendors to deliver these systems, often at enormous cost and with limited local ownership or capacity transfer.

Margins’ emergence as the successful bidder in The Gambia signals a deliberate reversal of that model.

“This is Africa saying we can build our own systems, protect our own data and define our own digital future,” a senior technology analyst remarked.

Beating global firms on merit

The path to the contract was neither symbolic nor sentimental. It was intensely competitive.

The international tender process, which commenced on July 22, 2024, attracted 11 companies from across the globe, reflecting strong global interest in the project.

After a rigorous technical and financial evaluation, only three firms were shortlisted.

Margins ID Group ultimately emerged as the preferred bidder, selected on the strength of its superior technical design, competitive advantage and proven delivery capacity.

That outcome is particularly significant in a sector where African firms are often dismissed as junior partners or subcontractors.

In this case, Margins did not ride on political goodwill or regional sentiment — it won on merit, against global competitors, in an open and transparent process.

Due diligence rooted in African excellence

As part of the evaluation process, delegations from The Gambia conducted extensive technical inspections in Ghana, subjecting Margins’ operations to rigorous scrutiny.

The delegations visited Intelligent Card Production Systems (ICPS), Margins ID Group’s ultra-secure card manufacturing facility, widely regarded as one of the most secure facilities of its kind in Africa.

The facility’s security architecture, production capacity and compliance with international standards were closely examined.

They also inspected Margins ID Systems Applications Limited, the Group’s technology subsidiary, which is responsible for system architecture, software development and deployment.

The visits allowed Gambian officials to assess not only infrastructure, but also institutional depth, technical expertise and long-term delivery capability.

In addition, the delegation reviewed Margins’ eight global certifications and observed live operations of Ghana’s fully integrated National Identification System — a system designed, built, financed and co-operated by Margins in partnership with Ghana’s National Identification Authority.

What they encountered was not a pilot project or theoretical model, but a fully operational African system anchoring everyday life for millions of people.

A defining moment for African digital identity

Describing the agreement as historic, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Margins ID Group, Moses Kwesi Baiden Jnr, said the contract marks a defining moment for African digital identity innovation.

“This is a historic milestone,” Mr. Baiden said at the signing ceremony.

“We are deeply grateful to the Government of The Gambia for the trust they have placed in us.”

He stressed that Margins’ selection followed a fiercely competitive international process.

“We are very proud to have emerged successful in a highly competitive international tender against global firms,” he said, underscoring the significance of the win for African enterprise.

Mr. Baiden emphasised that national identification systems must be treated as foundational infrastructure, comparable to roads, ports and power — and must therefore be trusted, resilient and locally understood.

An evolved system, not a copy-paste import

Crucially, Margins made it clear that the system being deployed in The Gambia is not a replica of any existing platform.

“What we are doing here is not a replication of any regional system.

“It incorporates evolved architecture and enhanced security controls,” Mr. Baiden explained.

Drawing on lessons from Ghana’s National Identification System, the new platform has been redesigned to deliver stronger integration, improved security and a more seamless user experience tailored specifically to Gambian needs.

“We have taken what we learned in Ghana and built an even stronger national identification ecosystem for The Gambia,” he said.

The system, he added, is designed to promote inclusion — enabling lawful recognition, financial inclusion and continuous access to public and private services.

Whole-of-Government Commitment in The Gambia

Gambian officials confirmed that the project had undergone extensive internal review and enjoyed broad government buy-in.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Matar Ceesay, said the initiative had been under development for an extended period and involved multiple institutions across government.

“This is something that has been in the works for a while,” he said.

“That is why institutions across the board have carried out their respective due diligence.”

Mr. Ceesay noted that repeated technical visits to Ghana played a critical role in building confidence in Margins’ capabilities.

“We are impressed with Margins ID Group and with what has been accomplished in Ghana,” he said.

Learning from past failures

For The Gambia, the project carries added significance. It is the country’s third attempt at establishing a national identification system.

“This is a very important day,” the Minister of Interior said at the ceremony. “We got it wrong twice.”

This time, he said, the government examined every aspect of the project to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Referencing Ghana’s experience, the Minister described the Ghana Card as an African benchmark.

“The Ghana Card system is an example for Africa,” he said. “Margins has done good work.”

He emphasised that knowledge transfer and capacity-building were central to the partnership, signalling a desire not just to import technology, but to build local capability.

Modernising governance and daily life

Once implemented, the new identification system is expected to modernise governance in The Gambia, enhance service delivery and strengthen data protection and privacy.

It will simplify access to healthcare, banking, education and digital public services, while laying a robust foundation for e-government platforms, interoperability and sustainable economic growth.

Beyond institutions, the impact will be felt in everyday life — enabling citizens to participate more fully in the economy and society.

Africa-to-Africa collaboration in action

The project stands as a compelling example of Africa-to-Africa collaboration aligned with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

It reinforces regional integration and demonstrates that African enterprises can compete successfully on the global stage.

“This partnership underscores the value of African countries trusting and investing in African capability,” Margins said.

Margins: Ghana’s digital identity powerhouse

With more than 35 years of experience, Margins ID Group is no newcomer. Headquartered in Accra, the Ghanaian-owned firm operates across secure identity production, biometric enrolment and digital verification.

As the architect and operator of Ghana’s National Identification System, Margins has helped register 19.2 million Ghanaians aged 15 years and above, integrating identity services into 262 institutions nationwide.

Under the leadership of Moses Kwesi Baiden Jnr, the Group has earned international recognition for innovation, cybersecurity and technical excellence.

With the Gambia contract, Margins has not only secured a landmark deal — it has helped redefine Africa’s digital narrative.

For a continent long told to import its future, the message is now unmistakable: Africa is ready to build its own.