Côte d’Ivoire expands electronic signatures to local municipalities

Côte d’Ivoire is expanding the use of electronic signatures within its local government administrations as part of a national digital transformation strategy. On September 15, 2026, the Marcory municipality joined the digital circuit for processing and validating administrative acts, involving both the mayor and the secretary general.

This shift aims to modernize local governance by digitizing the handling of civil status documents, residence certificates, and public domain authorizations. By replacing handwritten signatures with cryptographic processes, the government intends to reduce processing times, limit the need for physical travel by citizens, and curb fraudulent practices. The digital system allows officials to validate documents remotely via mobile terminals, providing time-stamped and verifiable digital files.

The initiative supports the national goal of achieving a “zero paper” administration by 2030. While the legal framework for electronic transactions has been in place since 2013, the current focus is on the widespread deployment of these tools across various municipalities and decentralized services.