Malawi plans to roll out nationwide digital IDs by 2026, following a successful pilot phase.
This initiative, led by the National Registration Bureau (NRB), was announced during the ID4Africa Annual General Meeting recently held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The digital ID aims to streamline access to government services by making identity verification more efficient and accessible, particularly through smartphones.
Authorities believe this digital approach will not only enhance service delivery but also promote financial inclusion by providing easier access to banking and other essential sectors.
According to Mbawaka Mwakhwawa, the NRB’s acting chief registration officer, increasing smartphone penetration in Malawi presents a valuable opportunity to harness mobile technology for identity verification.
"This innovation will transform how citizens interact with services such as healthcare and financial institutions while reducing the long-term cost of issuing physical ID cards," he told the Nation Newspaper.
The move, according to the government, is consistent with the broader goals of ID4Africa, a pan-African project that assists countries across the continent in developing and implementing safe and inclusive identity systems for both developmental and humanitarian purposes.
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