National digital ID card market bounces back after slow 2020

The global market for ‘smart’ or digital ID cards issued by governments has rebounded from the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the chipset shortage still looms, according to a new report from ABI Research.

The report from ABI’s Citizen Digital Identity research service shows a 17.7 percent jump in the issuance of national digital ID credentials from 2020 to 2021, reaching 314.7 million units.

Digital ID card rollouts could be significantly affected this year by supply chain shortages, however. The projection for growth in the issuance of digital IDs in 2022 is only 2 percent.

The report forecasts issuances for ongoing projects in Turkey, Italy and Bangladesh, but postponement of new programs in the Philippines, Kenya and Nigeria.

“Net new opportunities and renewals of existing contracts are where shortage impacts will be most felt within the ID market,” says ABI Research Digital Security Analyst Sam Gazeley.

Jamaica, UAE, Guatemala updates

The design of Jamaica’s first National ID card has been unveiled, according to the Jamaican Information Service. The first test batch of the cards, which have 26 security features, has been received by the government.

Officials say the cards were designed in consultation with digital identity security experts, and will allow the government to move more services online. It can be used for identity verification and electronic document signing. The government has also established an implementation taskforce to encourage adoption in the public and private sector.

Digital ID cards issued by the can now be used to enter all countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Gulf Today reports. The move is reciprocal, with the UAE accepting ID cards from other GCC countries at its borders.

Saudi Arabia has lifted a suspension on the use of ID cards by its citizens to enter and leave the country, meanwhile.

Guatemala’s National Registry of Persons (RENAP) is reminding citizens that they become obligated to get a Personal Identification Document (DPI) when they turn 18. The agency says in an announcement that it expects to issue nearly 389,000 DPIs to first-time holders in 2022.

Article Topics

biometric data  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital ID cards  |  government purchasing  |  identity document  |  Jamaica  |  market report  |  national ID  |  UAE