AFRICAN governments are racing to bring the “invisible millions” once left out of formal services into national systems, unlocking their access to healthcare, banking, education, and security.
At the ID4Africa AGM 2025 in Addis Ababa, in May, Identity (ID) Authority leaders showcased how digital identity on the continent is reshaping the continent’s future.
These authorities from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, Benin, and Malawi affirmed digital IDs are becoming key to enhancing service delivery as they lay efforts to fast-track roll-out efforts to reach universal access targets.
Ethiopia aims to provide digital identification to its entire population by 2027.
Since the launch of the country’s National ID Program, Fayda, less than three years ago, it has registered more than 15 million people, including those in remote parts of the country.
Ethiopia’s National ID Program, Executive Director Yodahe Zemichael, said the ID is now mandatory for banking in Addis Ababa, with a nationwide roll-out planned for 2026.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed termed digital ID a “critical infrastructure for modern governance,” aligning it with the country’s Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy.
“For decades, identification in Ethiopia was fragmented, serving only a portion of the population and leaving millions behind. That’s why we made the choice to build a national ID guided by the aspirations of Digital Ethiopia 2025,” said Abiy.
Tanzania targets issuing a National ID from birth as part of its universal identity effort, the Jamii Number program.
The initiative includes biometric registration for infants and a legal framework to assign ID numbers at birth.
Tanzania’s National Identification Authority (NIDA), Director of ID management, Edson Guyai, while acknowledging technological challenges in capturing biometrics for children under five, said children’s IDs will be linked to their mothers’.
“We need more research, more study to make sure we find a proper solution. But as we work around from zero to five years, we will be using the National ID of the mother. So we link the National ID of the mother to the child’s National ID, in order to identify a person uniquely,” Guyai explained.
Tanzania has registered more than 25 million people, accounting for 81% of its adult population, and the ID system has been adopted by 124 institutions, supporting mobile wallets, health coverage, and social protection schemes.
Somalia aims to register all adults by 2030 and enrol 15 million people by the end of 2025.
Somalia’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) announced it is launching online biometric self-registration via mobile phones later in November to increase accessibility.
NIRA Director, Abdiwali Ali Abdulle, said only 5% of Somalis currently have bank accounts due to a lack of formal documentation, which also hinders law enforcement and development. The digital ID system, he said, will unify fragmented regional IDs, ease onboarding for financial services, and support national security efforts.
“We are now developing online biometric registration, which actually will reduce our dependence on the physical centers. This application will help people to register themselves using their mobile phones.” said Abdulle.
Benin with 98% of its population of more than 30 million people registered in the national system, targets full digital ID coverage by 2028.
Benin National Agency for the Identification of Persons Director General, Aristide Adjinacou, said Benin is using artificial intelligence and engaging skilled members of its diaspora, especially in data analytics, to drive innovation and efficiency.
“We adopted a decree where we are able to attract Beninis from the diaspora and every other citizen. Wherever they are living, they can come to Benin to contribute to our transformation, depending on their skills,” said Adjinacou.
The ID system processes nearly 200,000 biometric authentications daily and is integrated with more than 80 institutions. The challenge now, he said, is reaching the final 2%, often remote or culturally distinct communities.
“We need to address those specificities. Every community have its own challenge, its own way of living, and it’s important for us to be able to address them. This is another big challenge. It’s our last mile,” said Adjinacou.
Since the introduction of the first-generation ID in 1978, Kenya has consistently embraced technology to modernise its identification systems. A semi-automated system followed in 1995, paving the way for the Maisha Project, launched in 2023.
Today, more than 33 million Kenyans are enrolled in the initiative, which integrates civil registration—including birth, school enrollment, national ID issuance at age 18, and death registration- into a unified digital system.
“Kenya started way back 20 years ago to create identity management as a public utility enterprise. We have so many developments that have leveraged in identity cards, including in the telecommunications sector, mobile payment, said National Registration Bureau Head Christopher Wanjau.
Throughout the last decade, more than 30 African countries have launched or are developing digital ID programs, with the African Union reports that more than 70% of member states now have some form of digital ID infrastructure.
Other African countries that have made significant strides include Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
Rwanda is among the leaders, with more than 90% adult enrollment and IDs integrated into healthcare, banking, and government platforms.
Ghana’s Ghana Card has similarly achieved more than 90% adult registration and is now mandatory for tax, SIM, and social services.
Nigeria’s enrollment is more than 100 million out of its population of 220 million, with the country’s authority citing mobile phone registration as a key driver. Still, reaching rural and marginalised communities remains a major hurdle for the West African economy.
According to the World Bank and World Economic Forum, more than 500 million people in Africa lack proof of legal identity.
