Imagine a future where an identity is at one’s fingertips, a time when you only have to type a few characters on your smartphone to show who you are and enjoy essential services.
Convenient, isn’t it?
Malawi could be on the cusp of the smart era when citizens will not have to wait long and worry about the cost of replacing national IDs because it will just be a click away.
The country plans to roll out a digital identity wallet for Malawians by 2026, a milestone in digital transformation.
National Registration Bureau (NRB) Principal Secretary Mphatso Sambo announced this on Tuesday at the ID4Africa Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“We have successfully piloted the Digital ID Wallet and the next step is nationwide implementation,” he said in an interview. “This innovation will revolutionise how Malawians access critical services, from banking to healthcare, while strengthening identity verification processes.”
According to Sambo, the digital ID is part of the national strategy to digitise government services for enhanced efficiency and access to essential services.
He said that making the national ID accessible and verifiable on smartphones will accelerate financial inclusion and identity verification services while reducing the long-term cost of producing the physical national ID card.
ID4Africa is the Pan-African movement to build strategic capacity and partnerships for African countries to develop robust and responsible identity systems for development and humanitarian services.
In an interview from the meeting which started on Friday, NRB acting chief registration officer Mbawaka Mwakhwawa said the new technology will hinge on rapid increase in smartphone usage.
He said: “As the use of smartphones in Malawi is projected to rise to 30 percent by 2025, the Digital ID Wallet presents a timely opportunity to leverage on the growing connectivity.
“The launch of Digital ID Wallet will lessen the logistical and financial burden of issuing physical cards while expanding accessibility for citizens.”
So far, NRB has issued national IDs to over 12.5 million registered Malawians aged at least 16, a solid foundation for the rollout of the Digital ID Wallet.
The Digital ID will be sent directly to the registered individual’s phone, significantly cutting the waiting time.
During the AGM, ID4Africa chairperson Joseph Atick underscored the importance of digital identity for the continent’s development, urging nations like Malawi to speedily adopt digital ID for improved service delivery and the fight against fraud.
The planned Digital ID Wallet rollout could position Malawi among pioneers in Africa’s digital identity landscape, but its success will partly hinge on increased public awareness, affordable internet and partnerships with telecommunication and financial service providers.
