At the ID4Africa 2025 Summit, Moses Kwesi Baiden Jr., Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Margins ID Group, delivered a commanding keynote on “Unlocking the Power of Digital Identity: The Ghana Card’s Impact on Healthcare,” spotlighting one of Africa’s most advanced and fully integrated national identity systems.
Margins ID Group, through its multiple subsidiaries, was one of only two African companies participating in the event—and the only one that has successfully implemented a national ID system of this scale and complexity.
The Ghana Card stands out as a single, legally grounded biometric identity that covers every citizen and connects every essential service from birth to death.
Built on a legal foundation, the system is verifiable both online and offline and is fully integrated across public and private institutions.
“Not Just a Card—A Foundation for National Development”
Mr. Baiden addressed a room full of policymakers, technologists, and identity authorities: “The Ghana Card isn’t just a piece of plastic. It’s a foundation for national development and a digital backbone for everything from healthcare to governance to economic inclusion.”
He revealed that the government of Ghana is already saving millions of dollars annually in healthcare costs by using the Ghana Card instead of separate NHIS cards.
In addition, the ability to accurately identify individuals at the point of service has significantly reduced fraudulent claims, contributing further to these savings.
E-health, E-Pharmacy, and home-based care
Ghana is now building upon this solid foundation to usher in a new era of e-health, e-pharmacy, and home-based care.
What once sounded futuristic is now practical, secure, and in motion—driven by a Ghanaian innovation that is redefining national identity, both physically and digitally, on a global scale.
Unprecedented biometric verifications
The Ghana Card has already registered over 98% of the adult population, with active enrollment of children now underway. With more than 200 million biometric verifications processed, it is not just one of the most successful identity projects in Africa—it is one of the most advanced in the world.
Strategy, not just scale, sets Ghana apart
Baiden emphasised that what sets Ghana apart is not only the scale but also the strategy.
“A single, legally grounded identity system is the starting point for digital transformation,” he said.
“Without it, you can’t build a reliable ecosystem for e-government, for e-commerce, for anything that defines the 4th and 5th industrial revolutions.”
A call for African solutions on the global stage
He also called on ID4Africa to ensure greater representation of African-developed solutions globally: “Innovation should come from everywhere, not just the West. We have proven that African technology can lead, and it must be given the platform to do so.”
The Margins ID Group story
Margins ID Group’s story is one of long-term vision, local expertise, and sustained investment.
What began as a Ghanaian printing company has evolved into a leader in secure identity systems—conceptualising, designing, and building the Ghana Card through its subsidiaries, Identity Management Systems (IMS) and Intelligent Card Production Systems (ICPS), in partnership with the National Identification Authority (NIA) of Ghana.
A model PPP for the continent
The company’s public-private partnership with the National Identification Authority has become a continental benchmark, proving that strategic collaboration can deliver measurable impact at scale.
It has not only digitised identity—it has transformed access to health, finance, and government services.
As Africa pushes toward SDG 16.9—universal legal identity by 2030—Ghana isn’t just participating in the race.
It is offering the blueprint.
Mr. Baiden closed his keynote with a powerful reminder that cut through the technical noise: “The success of any ID system goes beyond technology. It must serve society, deliver real value, and provide assured, lasting solutions.”
