The Gambian government has approved a new 10-year validity period for newly issued national biometric identity cards, marking a major shift in the country’s identity management system.

The decision follows an agreement between the Ministry of Interior and Margins ID Systems Limited, a Ghanaian-owned identity solutions company, to modernise the national identification framework.

Authorities say the reform will introduce a more secure, biometric-based system designed to improve public service delivery and strengthen internal security.

The move is also expected to support digital governance efforts by creating a more reliable and long-term national identity infrastructure for citizens.