The National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has emerged as a global model for digital identity management, that is now attracting international researchers to study its transformative work, for the first time.This transformation, led by its visionary Director General, Mr. Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi, through his pioneering efforts since the 2017 launch of the Institution’s first Biometric Registration System have achieved near-universal citizen and non-citizen residents’ registration, that today, has not just earned praises from local and international organizations, but from scholars like Dr. Laura Lambert and Prof. Dr. Stephan Scheel of Leuphana University, Luneburg, Germany.

Dr. Lambert, who is part of the ERC-funded “Doing Digital Identities” project highlighted the astonishing progress made by NCRA within a short spell, pointing out to the Institution’s inclusive, cutting-edge approach which inspired them to conduct their research here in Sierra Leone, with the NCRA being one of Five Civil Registration Institutions being studied - including Estonia, Germany, Indonesia and Malawi. During their 5.5-month study, they visited NCRA facilities in Freetown, Bo, Makeni, Koinadugu, Falaba, Kailahun, Kono and Kambia districts, where the research consisted of 80 instances and 100 qualitative interviews with different stakeholders.

Dr Lambert highlighted her satisfaction with NCRA’s success in preventing statelessness through Inclusive Policies like Diverse Guarantors for Citizenship Verification, Registration of Residents – Citizens and None, in the database of over 90% with birth registration increasing since 2024 through the availability of 2-3 Centers per District, according to their preliminary findings.

Under the Director General’s leadership, NCRA has rolled out Mobile Registration Units, and empowered Justices of the Peace to bridge gaps between citizens and the state. These efforts have made national ID cards the most trusted symbol of identity that safeguards citizens’ identities, as they maintained faith and pride in the state-of-the-art digital systems and the NCRA infrastructure - although challenges remain for rural communities, the preliminary findings states.

NCRA’s innovations have set a benchmark for accessibility and equity, with implications also for regional mobility in the ECOWAS zone.

Mr. Massaquoi’s strategic vision has well positioned NCRA as a global leader that is today drawing academics, policymakers, donor partners to Sierra Leone’s digital identity revolution.

For more on this research, visit digitalidentities.eu.