Monrovia – The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) and the National Identification Registry (NIR) have partnered to enhance Liberia’s digital infrastructure by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement focuses on registering all SIM and RUIM cards, ensuring every mobile user is linked to a verifiable government-issued ID.
This agreement, signed at a ceremony by LTA Acting Chairperson Abdullah L. Kamara and NIR Executive Director Andrew Peters, initiates an ambitious project to secure digital identity and enhance national security through biometric registration.
This new collaboration aims to rectify issues encountered in a previous agreement from 2020, which struggled with low enrollment and poor system interoperability. The revamped MOU focuses on ensuring that all mobile users are linked to verifiable government-issued identification.
The primary thrust of the MOU is to enforce the Amended SIM/RUIM Cards Registration Regulations (LTA-REG-008). These require all SIM/RUIM cards distributed by mobile network operators to be registered using government-issued IDs that can be electronically verified through the NIR’s platform. This strategic move is designed to tighten the security of Liberia’s telecommunications network and curb the unauthorized use of mobile services.
Building a National Biometric Database
The NIR has established centers for registration in every District throughout the country and in some townships.
There are presently over 4 million SIM cards in use in the country. NIR has established a centralized database with a capacity to house over 7 million entries.
A key component of the MOU is the commitment to enroll all Liberian citizens and residents into the NIR’s database, which will become the cornerstone for identity verification across various sectors of the economy. “The NBIS will allow citizens to access services more efficiently and aid law enforcement in identifying individuals to prevent and investigate crimes,” said Mr. Peters.
In line with this, Mr. Kamara also stated “This isn’t just about SIM cards. This is about building a foundational database that will support Liberia’s digital economy. From health insurance to criminal records and land ownership, this biometric system will be essential for service delivery and national security.”
The project aims to register 3.5 million Liberians. “We’ve set a goal to register 3.5 million Liberians, and this is a massive undertaking,” Kamara stated. “But we are confident that with public cooperation, we will meet this target.” The registration process is set to begin promptly, with an initial period where registration and verification are free of charge to encourage widespread public participation.
Timeline and Future Projections
The detailed timeline laid out in the MOU includes key milestones, with the registration process expected to be completed by the end of 2026. A crucial deadline is set for July 10, 2025, when mobile subscribers who have not registered their SIM/RUIM cards with valid government-issued IDs will face service deactivation.
The LTA will oversee compliance and conduct regular evaluations of the registration process, while the NIR will manage the issuance of IDs and maintain the verification platform.
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