ACSA TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT ID4AFRICA 2026: STRENGTHENING AFRICA'S DIGITAL CRVS FUTURE

African eCRVS Shared Asset (ACSA), which represents the continental technical fulfilment of over a decade of ministerial commitment, is a country-led normative framework: a set of Design Principles, Data Standards, Functional Requirements, and Non-Functional Requirements that any eCRVS system serving an African country should meet or adopt.

More than 2,000 government leaders, development partners, technology innovators, and identity experts gathered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 12–15 May 2026 for the Annual General Meeting of the ID4Africa Movement. The meeting happens to be the continent’s premier forum on digital identity and legal identity systems. This year’s meeting, held under the theme “Digital Identity: From Digital Public Infrastructure to Digital Public Ecosystems,” highlighted a growing recognition of digital identity as not merely a technological platform, but a foundational component of broader digital public ecosystems that connect people to services, rights, and opportunities.

For the Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (APAI-CRVS), the meeting provided a unique opportunity to engage with practitioners, governments and partners on the future of civil registration and legal identity systems in Africa. Participation focused on advancing dialogue around digital CRVS transformation, strengthening CRVS-ID integration, and promoting the African eCRVS Shared Asset (ACSA) as a practical framework for country-led modernisation efforts.

A major highlight of the meeting was the update on ACSA, a continental initiative aimed at supporting African countries in building modern, interoperable, and sustainable digital CRVS systems. Presented by the ACSA Governing Board, APAI-CRVS Secretariat and UNICEF, the session showcased progress made in developing common standards, specifications, assessment tools, and implementation guidance that countries can adapt to their  legal, institutional, and technological contexts.

ACSA was presented  as a shared framework designed to help countries make informed decisions throughout their digital transformation journey rather than a software. ACSA provides a benchmarking criteria and design guidance. The framework thus  enables countries to assess existing systems, improve interoperability, and avoid fragmented digitalisation approaches that often result from isolated or vendor-driven investments.

Discussions also highlighted three key pathways through which countries can engage with ACSA: enhancing existing digital CRVS platforms, conducting assessments followed by targeted improvements, or implementing new systems where viable solutions do not yet exist.

Discussions on ACSA also highlighted the critical role of interoperability and CRVS-ID integration in Africa's digital transformation agenda. As countries modernize their civil registration systems, there is growing recognition that these systems must securely exchange data among national identity platforms and other public institutions. Experiences shared by Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Benin, and Cape Verde demonstrated diverse approaches and offered practical lessons on governance, interoperability, and lifecycle identity management.

Beyond the formal sessions, the AGM created valuable opportunities for APAI-CRVS to engage directly with civil registration authorities, national identity agencies, development partners, and digital public infrastructure experts. Bilateral meetings and networking engagements helped identify country priorities, technical assistance needs, and emerging opportunities for collaboration that will inform future support under APAI-CRVS, ACSA, and the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda.

As African countries continue to modernise their civil registration and identity ecosystems, the discussions at ID4Africa 2026 reaffirmed a shared vision: digital transformation must be country-owned, inclusive, interoperable, and sustainable. Through initiatives such as ACSA, Africa is increasingly positioning itself not only as a participant in global conversations on legal identity, but as a leader in developing practical, context-driven solutions that strengthen civil registration systems and ensure that every person is recognized, counted, and protected throughout their life course.