Azerbaijan plans rapid digital ID adoption to boost economy

Azerbaijan is planning to have 1 million citizens using digital identities by the end of 2026, the country’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport announced on Wednesday.

Since July, Azerbaijanis are no longer required to use physical ID cards with  65 percent of the population already using the national mobile digital ID Asan İmza. Starting in September, the country’s largest mobile network operator Azercell started accepting digital identity cards for all transactions in its office by presenting their identity verification information through the Mygov application.

The goal of spreading digital IDs is part of an ambitious plan to boost the Central Asian country’s digital economy.

According to the findings of the Investing in the Digital Economy of Azerbaijan (IDEA) project, supported by the World Economic Forum (WEF), digital identity is one of the top three technologies that could help foreign investors navigate compliance and operations in the country. The report analyzes direct foreign investment in the digital economy of Azerbaijan and which technology tools can attract and promote investment.

“Digital identity verification solutions rank at the top when it comes to facilitating investment operations,” the report notes. Their significance is undeniable, opening doors for widespread participation in the digital economy, including online transactions and access to e-government services.”

Digital identity verification, however, still remains in its nascent stage and the next stage could be capitalizing on national digital identity programs to enable more digital activities, the paper concludes.

During the Wednesday announcement, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov also said that Azerbaijan aims to equip 65 percent of its population with basic digital skills by 2026. To achieve this, the Ministry plans to extend broadband internet connection to all regions of the country by the end of 2024, according to local news outlet News.az.

“To achieve these ambitious goals, we recognize that we as the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport must equip every family with high-speed broadband internet,” says Mammadov. “That is why we launched the ‘Online Azerbaijan’ project.”

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital economy  |  digital government  |  digital identity  |  digital public infrastructure  |  World Economic Forum