Ethiopia makes Fayda the main credential for civil servants

Ethiopia’s National Identity Program (NIDP) has entered into a partnership with the country’s Federal Civil Service Commission to make the Fayda digital ID the main identification credential for all civil servants.

According to an announcement, the move will bring innovation, transparency and security to the way Ethiopia’s civil service human resources are managed.

Using the digital ID as the main proof of ID for civil servants will also expedite and streamline the management of civil service processes which will go a long way in eliminating administrative red tape, time wasting, and even financial cost.

Authorities also believe the compulsory digital ID for civil servants will reduce the level of corruption within the public service in line with the Commission’s good governance and integrity principles. It will also help determine and strengthen the authenticity of documents in the career files of civil servants, the Commission hopes.

For a start, the Commission has called on civil servants in the capital Addis Ababa to begin enrolment for the digital ID, either at their bank or at any NIDP registration center around them.

With time, the enrolment drive will expand to other regions of the country as measures will also be taken to ensure that the sensitization message reaches all public institutions.

The two partners say the measure is a “monumental step” forward in Ethiopia’s digital transformation efforts, and underlines the federal government’s commitment to create a proficient civil service.

Since the rollout of the Fayda, there have been efforts by the government to integrate the digital ID into some public services such as healthcare services and banking operations.

The Fayda was also recently adopted as the official ID for students across educational establishments in the country.

Other African countries such as Equatorial Guinea and Ghana are also making biometric digital ID a compulsory aspect in the fight against civil service fraud.

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital ID  |  Ethiopia  |  Ethiopia National ID Program (NIDP)  |  Fayda  |  identity verification