Digital signature, trust services expand with updates in Belgium, Bulgaria, Kenya, Singapore

Various digital services, including digital signature options, have recently rolled out in a couple of countries as they advance different aspects of their digital government and digital transformation pursuits.

Smart-ID rolls out in Belgium

The mobile application recently unveiled in Belgium – the 5^th European country where it has been launched – is used to facilitate digital identification and the digital signing of legal certificates and other official documents.

The Brussels Times reports that the app, made in Estonia, functions in a similar way as the Itsme platform, and allows users access to other apps as well as several government services. It launched in the country in partnership with a local partner, Trust1team.

The app from SK ID provides other digital services apart from identity authentication, the outlet notes, mentioning that it has five million users in Belgium with about one billion transactions last year in all the countries where it is used.

Bulgaria launches portal for digital govt services

The Bulgarian government, through the National Social Security Institute (NSSI) has announced that digital government services, including with digital signature options, can now be accessed via a platform called Single Portal for Electronic Services (SPES).

As Novinite reports, the SPES combines web and mobile services with the aim of streamlining access to certain services relating to social benefits, pensions and other claims by reducing government red tape.

The move, fronted by the Ministry of Electronic Governance, ensures the integration of various government services with a central system for authentication, and has been described as a major step forward in the country’s digital government initiative.

SPES prioritizes user convenience and security, the NSSI explains.

eMudhra eases digital signature services in Kenya

Electronic certificates provider, eMudhra, says it remains committed to delivering digital signature and other digital trust services in Kenya as a way of accompanying the country’s digital transformation efforts.

The firm made the pledge recently during the National Public Key Infrastructure (NPKI) Forum organized by the Communications Authority of Kenya. It says the rollout of several digital government services in the country evokes the need for a proper digital signature ecosystem.

“We at eMudhra are working on building solutions ground-up from a deep-rooted understanding of the local landscape. In this endeavor, we intend to roll out seamless signing solutions for the country over time and work with key stakeholders to ensure that we not only drive digital efficiency, but do so with a sharp focus on cybersecurity, which is starting to play a bigger role these days,” says Arvind Srinivasan, executive vice president at eMudhra, in an announcement.

The company says as Kenya carries on with its digital transformation agenda, it stands as a key ally in fostering digital trust and ensuring success of the country’s national PKI ecosystem.

Singpass enables online nominations for Singapore policyholders

Since last month, policyholders with Prudential Singapore insurance company have been able to complete beneficiary nomination processes digitally using Sign with Singpass. This means submitting nomination forms and digital signatures in a process known as online NOB.

Accoing to an announcement from the insurer, the novelty is a welcome step which eliminates an earlier process where applications for such nominations were done manually. Beneficiary nomination is a process by which an insurance policyholder chooses who will get policy benefits from the insurer in future.

Per the announcement, the online beneficiary nomination is done by the policyholder first logging into the company’s online customer portal. After that, they are expected to provide details of their nominee and two attestors, carry out the digital signing via Sign with Singpass, and then submit the nomination for processing.

Commenting on the development , Prudential Singapore’s Chief Operations Officer Vikas Sinha, says: “With online NOB, we wanted to make it simple, convenient and secure for our policyholders to take the important step of completing their beneficiary nomination. This helps prevent any potential delays or disputes in distributing the policy proceeds and gives customers greater peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are cared for in the future.”

Article Topics

Belgium  |  Bulgaria  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital trust  |  electronic-signature  |  eMudhra  |  Kenya  |  PKI  |  Singapore  |  Singpass  |  SK ID Solutions