Gemalto begins identity cards contract

The Cameroonian government and the multinational company registered under Netherlands law, Gemalto, have signed "the contract for the supply and commissioning of a new identification system, safe for the Republic of Cameroon on July 31, 2015 in Yaoundé," announced the Cameroonian police boss, Martin Mbarga Nguélé, in an official statement.

"The new system has four main objectives for the production of secure and tamper-proof identity titles, including: the national identity card, residence permit, refugee card, business cards of officials of national security and national pension security card for retired personnel, with the possibility of opening to other jurisdictions.

As observed, Gemalto's scope is broader than what was formerly served by the French company, Thales, who had this contract for more than 10 years with several billion FCfa invested but was only used for the production of secure identity and residence cards.

This change in partnership for securing identity in Cameroon came as no surprise. This is because the cooperation between the Cameroonian State and the Thales company was beset by several dissatisfaction, where the level of security of the system put in place by Thales was the principal reason.

Gemalto, which incorporates this agreement after negotiations, is a multinational specialized in digital security. It is the first world manufacturer of SIM cards provided to approximately 450 mobile operators worldwide in 2014.