The Ministry of Health has renewed concerns over the illegal circulation of fake old-format birth certificates, even as the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) accuses the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) of using such documents to register foreigners at the Tanji supplementary voter registration center.
In an official press statement, the Ministry of Health stated that it has fully digitized the birth and death registration process. All genuine birth certificates are now issued in a new A4 format bearing the national Coat of Arms, the Gambian flag, and a security QR code for verification.
The Ministry confirmed that issuance of the old elongated birth certificates was officially stopped on February 28, 2023, following the nationwide rollout of the digital system. Despite the ban, counterfeit versions of the old certificates continue to be fraudulently produced and distributed.
“Anyone found in possession of fake certificates or involved in issuing the old birth certificates will be treated as committing a felony,” the statement warned. It referenced Section 7, CAP 41.01 of the Births and Deaths Marriages and Divorce Act 1990, which criminalizes the willful destruction, injury, or counterfeiting of official registers and certified copies.
The law specifically prohibits willfully destroying or injuring any register or certified copy in the custody of the Registrar and falsely making or counterfeiting any part of such register or copy.
The Ministry urged the public, institutions, and agencies to reject old-format certificates and verify authenticity using the QR code on new documents. Only the new A4 digital certificates are considered valid.
This warning comes amid serious allegations raised by the UDP on April 17, 2026. Baboucarr Sidiqi Jammeh of the UDP claimed that his team apprehended individuals allegedly linked to the NPP who were issuing fake or old birth certificates to non-Gambians at the Tanji registration center. The suspects were reportedly taken to the Brusubi Police Station. Jammeh described the act as “more than electoral fraud” and a criminal offense involving the fraudulent issuance of national documents.
The National People’s Party (NPP) has strongly denied the claims, calling them “false and misleading propaganda” aimed at undermining confidence in the voter registration process.
In a statement, Deputy Spokesperson Seedy SK Njie insisted the NPP has never engaged in or condoned the registration of non-Gambians. The party clarified that no NPP agents have been arrested and said it is monitoring the situation while allowing police to investigate.
As of April 18, 2026, neither the Gambia Police Force nor the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has issued an official statement confirming any arrests or charges related to the Tanji incident. The supplementary voter registration exercise continues until May 21.
The convergence of the Ministry’s long-standing warning and the fresh political allegations has heightened concerns about the integrity of the voter register ahead of the 2026 elections. Stakeholders have called for a thorough and transparent investigation to safeguard public trust in the democratic process.
