28/11/2025
NCRA Engages Stakeholders To Validate CRVS, Identity Management Strategy
Freetown / Thursday 27 November 2025
The National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) on Thursday brought together government ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), development partners, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives for a landmark national validation workshop.
The national event held at a conference centre at the NCRA Headquarters, Off Kingharman Road in Freetown - focused on two critical documents that will determine the future of Civil Registration, Vital Statistics (CRVS), and Identity Management in Sierra Leone: The Final Draft Evaluation Report of the CRVS Strategic Plan (2019–2024); the Draft CRVS and Identity Management Systems Strategic Plan (2026–2030).
The workshop formed part of the result-oriented enthusiast Director General’s continued commitment to strengthening identity systems, improving service delivery, and ensuring that every Sierra Leonean is visible, counted, and protected in national development planning.
Addressing participants, the Director General of the NCRA, Mohamed Mubashir MASSAQUOI emphasised that the validation exercise was crucial for aligning national identity systems with modern standards and the country’s development agenda.
He noted that the Authority has worked extensively with over 70 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), mobile network operators (MNOs), financial institutions, and private sector actors since April 2025 to make the strategic plan truly national and inclusive.
Mr MASSAQUOI expressed deep appreciation to government partners including the Office of National Security (ONS), Ministry of Finance (M*F), NASSIT, the Bank of Sierra Leone, among others, for their ongoing support and collaboration.
The NCRA Boss also acknowledged the strong backing of development partners, most notably UNFPA, alongside the Global Financing Facility (GFF) of the World Bank Group, and UNECA (the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa) - whose support has been instrumental in advancing the strategic planning process.
The evaluation report presented during the workshop highlighted several major achievements in strengthening Sierra Leone’s Civil Registration Vital Statistics CRVS) and Identity Management ecosystem, including the establishment of a Tier III-compliant National Data Centre, significantly enhancing data protection and system reliability; the upgrading of network systems across regional and district offices; and the development of a national interoperability policy, ensuring improved information exchange among government systems; and the development of new digital CRVS software integrating all vital events and ensuring interoperability with the Identity Management System (IDMS).
The presentation also included the introduction of a payment and service portal, currently in pilot phase, to improve accessibility and service convenience; substantial capacity-building efforts, with over 350 staff from 15 MDAs trained in vital statistics, identity management, and CRVS operations, including overseas study tours to countries such as Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia, India, and Estonia; and human Resource and Administration Policy, staff appraisal systems, and a training manual developed to ensure a competent and sustainable CRVS workforce.
While the progress has been commendable, the evaluation also underscored key challenges that the new 2026–2030 Strategic Plan must address including inadequate ICT and energy infrastructure, especially in rural offices; lack of a Disaster Recovery Centre and toll-free National Call/Incident Centre, both due to funding limitations; limited office infrastructure, restricting access to timely registration services; and high demand for corrections to personal details, including dates of birth and name changes. Other concerns included the shortage of medical doctors to strengthen death registration processes and the need for simplified procedures for marriage registration.
The Draft CRVS and ID Management Strategic Plan (2026–2030) outlines a bold roadmap to address these gaps. Critical next steps include: Final review and approval of the Strategic Plan, supported by UNFPA Country Office and Programme Division; professional editing, design, and publication of the final document by NCRA, UNFPA, and the technical consultant; and the launching and commencement of implementation in January 2026, marking the beginning of a transformative five-year period.
In addition, the plan aims to modernise the national identity system, strengthen digital registration processes, establish robust ICT infrastructure, and enhance collaboration among MDAs, particularly between the Ministry of Health and NCRA - to improve birth and death registration coverage.
In a passionate closing statement, the Deputy Director General of NCRA, Brima Victor Kamara, urged partners to continue supporting the Authority as it moves into the implementation phase. He stressed the need for aggressive resource mobilisation; sustained collaboration; timely completion of the plan, and improved service delivery for all citizens.
Mr Kamara reaffirmed NCRA’s commitment to ensuring that the strategic plan becomes a practical, actionable tool for national development over the next five years, stating:
“This document must reflect the aspirations of Sierra Leoneans and strengthen the identity ecosystem. With your collaboration, we will proudly deliver a strategy that advances national development and enhances service delivery for every citizen.”
Meanwhile, under the dynamic leadership of Mr MASSAQUOI, the NCRA continues to champion a unified CRVS and Identity Management System that supports national planning, security, social protection, financial inclusion, and access to essential services.
Mr MASSAQUOI said the 2026 to 2030 Strategic Plan - once validated and launched - will serve as a transformative blueprint to ensure that every citizen is accurately registered, protected by law, and empowered to participate fully in national development.