Senegal's National Civil Registry Agency Achieves 77% Digitalization Rate

The Senegalese National Civil Registry Agency (ANEC) has successfully digitalized 483 out of 629 targeted civil registry centers across the country, achieving a coverage rate of 77%. This was announced by ANEC's Director General, Matar Ndao, during a ceremony to hand over ten motorcycles to beneficiary communes under the Civil Registry Support Project (PAEC). The project is supported by Spanish cooperation.

The digitalization of civil registry centers aims to improve the collection of vital statistics, including births and deaths. The motorcycles handed over to the communes will facilitate the collection of village notebooks and enable civil registry services to obtain timely information. According to Ndao, the ANEC plans to complete the digitalization of all 629 targeted centers by December 31, 2026, with the installation of a civil registry management software and the activation of the "SAMA État civil" platform.

The modernization of the civil registry system in Senegal goes beyond digitalization, Ndao emphasized. It also involves the digitization of documents and the creation of a comprehensive national civil registry. He stressed the need for harmonization of tools used by local authorities, as some communes use different software than those deployed by ANEC. This, he believes, will help to strengthen the security of the civil registry system against fraud and falsification.

The PAEC project has been implemented in ten communes across the regions of Matam, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor, Kolda, and Sédhiou. According to the project's coordinator, Amadou Tidiane Faye, the project has provided training, awareness-raising, and support to local civil registry actors in these communes. A total of 340 civil registry auxiliaries were trained, and 400 visits were made to households, with 60 awareness-raising sessions and four forums organized.

The project has reached a significant number of people, with around 29,000 individuals sensitized in the ten beneficiary communes since the project's inception. Faye noted that the handover of motorcycles is part of the effort to bring public services closer to the population. The motorcycles will enable civil registry officials to move easily and efficiently collect vital statistics.

The ANEC's efforts to modernize the civil registry system are aimed at making the service more accessible and secure for the population. Ndao emphasized that the civil registry is not just about digitalization, but also about providing a service that is close to the people and secure against fraud. The agency's goal is to achieve 100% digitalization of civil registry centers by the end of 2026.

The PAEC project is a significant step towards improving the civil registry system in Senegal. With the digitalization of civil registry centers and the provision of motorcycles to communes, the project is expected to enhance the collection of vital statistics and improve the overall efficiency of the civil registry system. The project's impact is expected to be felt across the country, with benefits extending to all citizens.

Key points

• ANEC achieves 77% digitalization rate of civil registry centers
• Agency aims to complete digitalization by December 31, 2026
• Project improves access to civil registry services and enhances data collection