The Maldives secures Mantra fingerprint biometrics scanners for national ID system

The Maldives has acquired biometric scanners that will be used as part of the country’s national identification infrastructure.

The equipment was acquired from Mantra Smart Identity, which is based in Gujarat, India. The company has provided the Maldivian government with 4-4-2 fingerprint scanners, known as “MORPHS.”

The scanners will be used in the South Asian country’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) program to “enhance the efficiency and reliability of biometric data collection and identity verification processes,” according to a press release.

Maldives’ Deputy Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ahmed Aly said the “MORPHS” fingerprint scanners contribute significantly to the country’s ID system.

Hiren Bhandari, technical director of Mantra Smart Identity, said the Mantra Softech subsidiary is “proud” to support the Maldives in their efforts to “improve the efficiency and security of their identity verification processes.”

He added that Mantra Smart Identity has successfully implemented MORPHS in countries like the Togolese Republic, and that their slap fingerprint scanner will be used in the Philippines, among “several other countries.” The company’s MORPHS is a portable fingerprint scanner that the company says can capture all four fingerprints in a single, quick scan, using the device’s wide scanning area.

Recently, the Maldives received $10 million from the World Bank to back the Digital Maldives for Adaptation, Decentralization and Diversification Project, which includes establishing a national digital ID system.

A five-year project, measures include improving access to government services digitally and in-person, upgrading technology, and promoting the archipelagic country’s broadband market and analytics to better adapt to climate change.

The Maldives launched the eFaas digital ID in 2022, which was followed up with a dedicated mobile app secured with selfie biometrics the year after. The Maldivian government has plans to pass legislation that’ll strengthen data privacy, digital identity and cybersecurity laws in order to build public trust.

It is also continuing work on the foundational identity system on which the national digital ID is based, which the World Bank funds will help to expedite.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  eFaas  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  fingerprint scanners  |  Maldives  |  Mantra Smart Identity  |  Mantra Softech  |  national ID