Cameroon’s Delegate-General for National Security (DGSN) has launched a rapid biometric identity enrollment campaign in the country’s Far North region, aiming to extend legal identification to underserved and displaced populations. The program officially began on August 2, 2025, with an inaugural ceremony in Maroua.
15-Year Augentic Partnership
The initiative builds on a 15-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract Cameroon signed with German biometrics firm AUGENTIC in the spring of last year. Under the agreement, AUGENTIC is tasked with overhauling Cameroon’s national ID infrastructure, including biometric enrollment, card production, and secure issuance.
Historically, the country has struggled with extensive ID application backlogs. Some applicants have waited over six months for ID cards. Less than a quarter of Cameroonians currently hold valid identity documents, contributing to delays in accessing public services and complicating voter registration, healthcare access, and school enrollment.
Faster IDs, Better Services for Displaced Residents
The new campaign targets the Far North region, which hosts a large portion of Cameroon’s estimated one million internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom lack official identification. Ongoing insecurity, including spillover violence from Boko Haram, has driven widespread displacement in the region. The government aims to reduce barriers to registration by opening new local enrollment centers and streamlining biometric capture and card personalization workflows.
The agency emphasized that the new system is designed for 48-hour card turnaround from enrollment to delivery, supported by digital pre-registration and real-time data processing.
Officials say the rapid ID program will help alleviate pressure on overwhelmed administrative services, reduce fraudulent claims, and allow for better population data to inform public policy. Regional authorities have also noted that extending legal identity to displaced and undocumented residents will promote social inclusion and help restore access to public services.
The rollout is expected to expand beyond the Far North in the coming months as part of the national ID modernization roadmap. The DGSN is also working with international partners, including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to ensure that biometric enrollment efforts include displaced populations across the country.
Sources: Cameroon Online, IOM DTM
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
