LocationsFirst-Ever Digital Birth Certificate in the North-West and South-West Region of Cameroon: A New Era for Civil Registration and Access to legal identity
January 10, 2026
A close-up of the civil registration software that enables faster processing and secure archiving of civil status records at council level.
When Alain Njoku, a young parent walked into the Limbe I Council to collect his child’s birth certificate just days after delivery, he did not expect to be part of history. Yet on 7th January 2026, the document he received became the first civil certificate issued through a fully digitalized civil registration system in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon. “I was surprised by how easy everything was,” Alain Njoku said, holding the certificate. “There were no long delays, no fear that documents would get lost, and I did not have to pay anything. My child now has an identity from the very beginning.”
For many parents, especially women, this assurance is critical. Legal identity opens the door to education, healthcare, social services, and protection under the law. Without it, children risk exclusion long before they have a chance to shape their own futures.
Limbe I Council is among ten municipalities benefiting from support under the project Contributing to Social Cohesion Efforts in the Far-North, North-West and South-West Regions, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme Cameroon with funding from Denmark through the UNDP Funding Windows. The project covers municipalities in the Far North, North-West, and South-West Regions, including Maroua III, Koza, Mindif, Méri, Mora, Limbe I, Buea City Council, Tiko, Bamenda III, and Bamenda City Council.
A parent stands alongside civil status officers at the council, holding his child’s birth certificate issued through the new digital system.
One of the key project objectives is improving access to legal identity for youth, women, and vulnerable groups. This includes upgrading infrastructure and digitalizing civil status documentation so that essential records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates can be securely issued, stored, and retrieved. In contexts affected by crisis and displacement like the North-West and South-West regions, this shift is particularly significant, helping protect citizens’ rights while improving access to essential services. The digitalization of civil registration services also strengthens institutional efficiency and resilience by ensuring the continuity of essential services and access to rights, even in contexts of multiple shocks (security, climate, etc).
In Limbe I, this support translated into improved facilities, equipment, training, and the full digitalization of civil registration services. “This is a proud moment for Limbe I,” Mayor Mbwaye Eposi Florence said while signing the certificate. “We are proud to be pioneering the digitalization of civil status documents in the South-West Region. Digitalization helps us serve our population better by making our services more transparent, more reliable, and more accessible, especially for the most vulnerable.
The impact of the new system is already visible inside the council offices. “Compared to the old system, digitalization has significantly reduced our workload,” said Mme Nga Ngono Doris Francine, Chief of Service, Civil Status. “We used to fill three pages just to produce one birth certificate. Today, the process is faster, delivery times are shorter, and archiving is easier and more secure than under the manual system.”
A council staff member attends to a parent as civil status information is processed through the new digital registration platform.
Technical support for the digitalization process is provided by BUNEC, whose role has been central in ensuring that systems are functional, secure, and adapted to the realities of local councils. According to the Regional Delegate of BUNEC, Walter Ndzerem for the South-West region, the transformation goes beyond technology. “Digital civil registration strengthens institutions and protects people. By securing records of births, marriages, and deaths, councils are better equipped to serve their communities and safeguard citizens’ rights over time.”
Beyond Limbe I, the project also supports the issuance of birth certificates for vulnerable young girls across the target regions, helping reduce the risk of exclusion linked to poverty, displacement, or insecurity. For youth and women in particular, access to legal identity is a foundation for participation, protection, and opportunity.
Council staff at work