World Bank identifies priority actions for DPI in Equatorial Guinea

A World Bank team has identified immediate actions which the government of Equatorial Guinea should undertake in ramping up its digital transformation push.

These actions include setting up a digital identity system as well as other digital public infrastructure (DPI) that will contribute to building a robust and vibrant digital economy in line with the World Bank’s Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) initiative, according to a résumé of the publication. The DE4A was birthed to support Africa’s digital transformation strategy and ensure a digitally-enabled Africa by 2030.

The Digital Economy Diagnostic of Equatorial Guinea report assesses five foundational pillars on which the central African country’s digital economy efforts rest, and proposes ways through which the government and other relevant stakeholders can close existing identified gaps and make the country’s economy more buoyant.

The pillars have to do with digital infrastructure, digital public platforms, digital financial services, digital business and digital skills.

At a time when the country is increasingly moving away from its dependence on oil, the report suggests that digital can play a frontline role in efforts to diversify the country’s economy, reduce poverty, improve financial inclusion and open up space for jobs, as outlined in its 2035 National Development Plan.

Among the recommendations is the need for the country to address regulatory, governance and other challenges that hinder the expansion of its digital infrastructure.

Other suggestions include streamlining the digital civil registry and implementing a digital identity ecosystem, further developing its digital payment infrastructure which is still at a nascent stage using a whole-of-government approach, strengthening digital trade efforts by drawing up a roadmap that underpins an inclusive digital entrepreneurship environment, and adopting practical measures such as a national ICT education policy to ensure that most of the country’s population is digitally skilled.

The government of Equatorial Guinea must implement these “comprehensive reforms across the five pillars and address key cross-cutting issues.”

“Implementing a digital identity system could help public entities to cut the dependence on manual documents for identification and avoid inefficiencies and fraud opportunities. To achieve this, the country has to work on strengthening the foundational identification system and operational trust framework for digital authentication,” the report proposes.

It also recommends the “implementation of a currently absent national interoperability framework” which “could significantly enhance the overall efficiency of the public sector by promoting a more integrated and collaborative approach.”

Last year, Equatorial Guinea launched a biometric enrollment drive for public servants in a move that seeks to make sure that all those earning from the government payroll actually deserve to do so.

Article Topics

Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A)  |  digital identity  |  digital public infrastructure  |  Equatorial Guinea  |  financial inclusion  |  World Bank