In the near future, all Ethiopians seeking government services will be required to present a digital ID, said Yohade Zemikael, executive director of the Ethiopian National ID Program (NIDP), in an interview with local news portal Shega. It is said that
Semikael said the move is part of the government's plan to ensure all government services are integrated with digital identity.
So far, less than 4 million people have registered for the digital ID, called Fayda, but the country expects to enroll 90 million eligible citizens by 2028. The original deadline for this goal was 2025, but the process has advanced so much that that is no longer possible. will be late.
The Digital Identity Declaration passed by Congress last year does not require registration for a digital ID, but the law gives government and private institutions the right to refuse services for lack of ID.
NIDP has taken a series of steps in recent months as part of its plan to expand the use of Fayda. In addition to making digital ID a compulsory qualification for civil servants and students, authorities have signed a number of agreements with some UN agencies to accelerate the adoption of digital ID, especially for groups such as children and forcibly displaced persons. did. NIDP is also working with banks to strengthen digital ID enrollment.
The Federal Ministry of Justice also recently said in a statement posted on its Facebook page that plans are underway to soon require citizens to present a digital ID before accessing the ministry's services.
Ethiopia recently secured $350 million in funding from the World Bank for the Digital ID for Inclusion and Services Project, which aims to facilitate access to digital ID for millions of its citizens. received. A portion of the funds will be invested in developing other components of the country's digital public infrastructure ecosystem, such as instant digital payment services and interoperable data exchange platforms.
Article topics
Africa | Biometrics | Digital Government | Digital ID | Ethiopia | Ethiopian National Identity Program (NIDP) | Fayda
