• The Interior Ministry launched a national digital platform allowing Algerians to file online declarations for lost, stolen or destroyed official documents and obtain certified electronic attestations.

• The police recorded 1.3 million loss declarations in 2024 and an additional 1.5 million in 2025, pushing authorities to adopt a digital system capable of managing surging demand.

• The initiative forms part of Algeria’s plan to raise the digital sector’s GDP contribution to 20% by 2030 through online public services and technological modernization.

Algeria moves decisively toward digital transformation as it aims to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP and modernize public services by 2030. Authorities place the rollout of new electronic platforms at the center of this strategy.

Interior Minister Saïd Sayoud officially launched on 27 November in Algiers the national digital platform for declarations of lost documents. Authorities present the system as a key component of the state’s digital transformation agenda that seeks to modernize procedures, ease administrative burdens for citizens and improve the efficiency of public security services.

Engineers at the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) developed the platform. The system allows any citizen to declare online the loss, theft or destruction of an official document — including identity cards, passports or driving licenses — and to immediately obtain a certified electronic attestation.

The platform remains accessible 24/7 via the police website. It manages data entry and request tracking, integrates automated verification mechanisms to curb abuses and builds a centralized database to identify multiple declarations. Developers designed the system to improve access for people with special needs and residents in remote areas.

The DGSN states that the platform responds to a real operational need. Authorities recorded 1.3 million declarations of loss in 2024 and another 1.5 million since the start of 2025. This growing volume justifies the shift toward a digital system that can streamline procedures, shorten processing times and reduce the administrative workload on police services.

This innovation aligns with Algeria’s broader digital transformation strategy promoted at the highest level of the state. The government aims to raise the digital sector’s contribution to 20% of GDP. The objective depends on expanding online public services, modernizing technical infrastructure and supporting local innovation.

Officials view the new platform as a continuation of reforms already underway, including the introduction of biometric driving permits, digital vehicle registration cards and new secure DGSN services.

Beyond efficiency gains, authorities expect the platform to improve administrative accessibility for remote or vulnerable populations. The tool enables citizens to complete procedures remotely, reduce travel needs and limit printing-related costs.

However, several challenges remain for the reform to deliver its full impact. The government must protect personal data, ensure the reliability of verification systems to prevent fraud, educate citizens on digital tools and maintain sustained technical and institutional support.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya 

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum