The Director-General of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi, has called on the Government of Sierra Leone and its partners to anchor the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) programme on existing legal identity systems, institutional mandates, and technological investments, warning that duplication could undermine progress already made.

Speaking at the First National Digital Public Infrastructure Stakeholder Consultation Forum on August 5, 2026, Mr Massaquoi emphasised that trusted legal digital identity must serve as the foundation of Sierra Leone’s digital transformation. He noted that digital transformation extends beyond deploying new technologies to building secure, inclusive, and efficient systems that enable government services to reach citizens effectively.

He explained that DPI functions in the digital space much like roads and utilities do in the physical world, enabling services to move seamlessly across institutions and to citizens. According to him, the framework rests on three core pillars: legal digital identity, digital payments, and secure data exchange, which must operate in an integrated manner to support service delivery across government, finance, and the private sector. However, he stressed that none of these components can function optimally without a reliable identity system at the core.

Mr Massaquoi underscored that the NCRA, established under the National Civil Registration Act of 2016, is legally mandated to manage civil registration, vital statistics, and national identity systems, positioning it as central to the DPI ecosystem. He revealed that the Authority has already developed critical infrastructure, including a Tier III-compliant data centre that ensures national data sovereignty, and a National Biometric Identity Management System that has registered approximately 93 per cent of the population, each assigned a unique National Identification Number (NIN).

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He added that these NINs provide a secure and non-duplicable basis for identity verification across both public and private services, supported by multipurpose biometric ID cards that meet international standards. The NCRA also operates an electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) platform integrated with multiple institutions, enabling secure and efficient identity verification processes.

Highlighting ongoing innovation, Mr Massaquoi disclosed that the Authority has piloted the Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) and is seeking support for full implementation, which would reduce reliance on proprietary systems and enhance long-term sustainability.

He cautioned against creating parallel systems, urging stakeholders instead to strengthen and interconnect existing frameworks. He referenced the May 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between the NCRA and the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, which adopts an “Identity at the Centre” model, as well as ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Finance to pilot a national Data Exchange Layer based on Estonia’s X-Road system.

Mr Massaquoi outlined that successful DPI implementation requires coordinated institutional roles: the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation provides policy direction; the NCRA supplies legal identity infrastructure; the Bank of Sierra Leone oversees digital payments; and the Ministry of Finance leads financial management and interoperability systems. He stressed that collaboration between institutions is essential.

He further warned that technology alone cannot build trust, noting that strong legal frameworks, data protection, cybersecurity, and transparent governance are critical to ensuring public confidence. Citizens, he said, must be assured that their personal data is handled responsibly and securely.

Mr Massaquoi envisioned a future where every Sierra Leonean is registered at birth and provided with a lifelong legal identity, enabling seamless access to education, healthcare, financial services, and government programmes. Such a system, he noted, would also allow businesses and financial institutions to verify customers efficiently while reducing administrative burdens on citizens.

He concluded by reaffirming the NCRA’s commitment to working with government agencies, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to build an inclusive and secure digital ecosystem, urging stakeholders to build on existing investments and advance DPI through coordinated action and institutional respect.