In a major step towards digital governance, the Ivorian government has announced the creation of a Digital Nationality Certificate and a Recognitive Nationality Certificate, aiming to streamline and modernize the process of verifying Ivorian citizenship.
Speaking at a press briefing following the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly said, “This decree aims to streamline the procedure for issuing the Certificate of Nationality. To this end, it introduces the Recognitive Certificate of Nationality and the electronic issuance of the Certificate of Nationality.”
The newly introduced Recognitive Certificate of Nationality will be granted to applicants who already possess a prior nationality certificate.
According to Coulibaly, the issuance will only require a copy of the existing document, thereby eliminating the need for citizens to repeatedly apply for the same paperwork throughout their lives.
This reform is part of a broader effort by the Ivorian government to digitize and centralize critical administrative services.
As part of the rollout, a central repository will be established to collect and safeguard copies of all nationality certificates issued across the country’s judicial jurisdictions.
This database is expected to improve the reliability and accessibility of nationality records for both citizens and state institutions.
Coulibaly explained that the changes would “exempt Ivorians with an uncontested nationality certificate from having to apply for a new one each time they need it.”
He added that digital versions of the certificate will carry the same legal validity as traditional paper documents.
This initiative is aligned with the country’s broader public service modernization agenda and reflects a growing emphasis on digital solutions to enhance administrative efficiency, reduce redundancy, and simplify access to essential state documents.
The new certificates mark a significant evolution in citizenship documentation, offering greater convenience and security to Ivorian nationals in an increasingly digital age.
