President John Dramani Mahama has endorsed Margins ID Group and its CEO, Moses Kwesi Baiden Jr., for their pioneering role in reshaping Ghana’s digital identity landscape through the Ghana Card.
Speaking at the 9th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, the president, in a powerful statement following Mr Moses Baiden’s keynote address on “Digital Identity for Business and Economic Empowerment,” highlighted how the Ghana Card has become much more than just an ID.
It has become the backbone of a digitally sovereign and competitive economy.
Africa looks to Ghana for Inspiration
President Mahama shared that other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, are looking to replicate Ghana’s model.
“I recently received a request from the DR Congo asking for a reference on Moses and the Ghana Card system,” the President said. “They wanted to know if they had done a good job. I said, yes, they did.”
Ghana Card for smart tolling system
He pointed to practical innovations like the planned reintroduction of road tolls.
“Every vehicle is now linked to its owner’s Ghana Card. We no longer need old tolls and those cards that you stand and open and all that.
“We just take a picture of your car, and then it would take the bill to your mobile money or your bank accounts and just pay one cedi.”
Real-time integration with DVLA
Mr Baiden expanded on this by highlighting the real-time integration of the Ghana Card with key government systems like the DVLA.
“You can input your national ID, conduct biometric verification, and within 300 milliseconds, your data is reflected in the DVLA database,” he said.
“This means that if you buy a vehicle, it will be your vehicle and nobody else’s vehicle. Your driver’s license will be connected to your real ID, whether you register remotely or in person.
“And when you are stopped with your driving license or without your driving license, you can be identified as the owner of the car, we can know whether your driving license has expired, we can know whether your insurance has expired, and we can certainly know whether the car you are driving is yours.”
He explained that enforcement becomes seamless, whether or not you carry your physical license.
The Ghana Card an infrastructure of trust
Mr Baiden called the Ghana Card the “infrastructure of trust” needed for modern governance, economic growth, and social inclusion.
“Today, a citizen can access services 24/7 because they can prove who they are, make payments, receive deliveries, or even open a bank account instantly with facial verification.”
DVLA transformation offers a model
He pointed to the transformation at the DVLA as a case study. “By linking the Ghana Card to biometric verification, data from as far back as 1972 has been digitised.
“Now, we can predict revenues for the next decade, validate insurance and driving licenses on the go, and ensure vehicle ownership is verifiable in real time.”
Digital Identity for newborns and healthcare reform
In the health sector, Mr Baiden explained, babies are now issued national ID numbers at birth.
“The National Health Insurance Authority can now bridge data gaps, eliminate fraudulent claims, and enable targeted healthcare planning.
“Medical records will be securely stored in the cloud, accessible in emergencies through credentialed doctors, saving lives and improving service delivery.”
Enhancing national security
He emphasised that the transformation also extends to national security.
“Our police, immigration, and intelligence services can now generate and act on instant search lists, locally developed, allowing real-time tracking of suspects across borders.
“Our systems can verify identities with or without the physical card, using only fingerprints. The days of unidentified victims in mortuaries are behind us.”
A model PPP since 2012
Mr Baiden reinforced the critical role of public-private partnerships. “Since 2012, the Margins-led PPP has enabled Ghana to build and maintain a robust identity infrastructure at scale. This is not theoretical.
It is a living, functioning ecosystem of governance, built in the interest of Ghanaians and used every day by both the public and private sectors.”
He ended with a passionate call for digital sovereignty. “We cannot merely consume foreign technology. We must build, innovate, and shape our destiny.
“The Ghana Card is not just a card. It is the engine of transformation, a gateway to inclusion, and a testament to what Ghana can achieve when we apply our intelligence and vision in service of generations yet to be born.”
2 honorary awards
Mr Baiden was recognised for his outstanding leadership and innovation in the technology sector, receiving two prestigious honourary awards: “CEO of the Year – Technology, Infrastructure, National” and “CEO of the Year – Technology/ICT Sector.”
