IGF discussions advance push for interoperable digital ID in Africa

In the past, there’ve been calls, including from UNECA, for a unique African interoperable digital ID which can be used across borders within the continent to facilitate movement and trade transactions. This call was reiterated recently at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 where experts from around the world converged to gauge global connectivity and digital transformation efforts.

The 20^th edition of the (IGF) took place in Lillestrøm, Norway, from June 20-27, with several themes discussed across multiple sessions.

In one session that scrutinized balancing identity and sovereignty in Africa, various speakers agreed on key aspects including the need to build trustworthy and inclusive digital ID systems in Africa which are interoperable. The session was led by SIDIHub and the Africa ICT Alliance (AFICTA)

To get this done, they suggested that countries federate their data systems in an effort to strengthen their digital sovereignty and data privacy, while also building strategic partnerships to strengthen their efforts, according to Digwatch.

Emphasizing the need for a continent-wide digital ID, experts during the session said such a system will prove crucial for secure and easy identity verification, notably with the Africa Continent Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA) which seeks to enhance intra-Africa trade by eliminating trade barriers, one of which is difficult movement.

To try the feasibility of such a system, the experts suggested initiating interoperable digital ID programs, paring neighbouring countries like Nigeria and Cameroon, or Nigeria and Niger to test the possibility of putting in place such a continental framework.

Already, such arrangements exist regionally with programs like the ENBIC biometric regional ID card which allows free movement for citizens of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), and the common passport policy by countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). At bilateral level, countries like Namibia and Botswana also have an agreement for cross-border national digital ID acceptability.

These efforts notwithstanding, several challenges remain. An academic paper published last year decried the underexplored nature of interoperability in Africa’s foundational digital ID systems, arguing that continent-wide interoperability can boost cross-border digital government services.

Putting in place a continental interoperable ID framework, the IGF experts maintain, therefore requires a combination of factors including strong political will, regulatory reforms, harmonization of data systems, as well as ensuring technical standards and trust systems.

Another suggestion from the experts was to establish a collaborative framework through regional working groups to examine interoperability frameworks and to track progress on discussions from different IGF sessions.

The IFG session, among other things, also featured country examples from Benin, Nigeria and Japan on inclusive digital ID for public service delivery, and cross-border digital ID operations from Norway. For Benin, a recent peer learning event showcased the country’s interoperability efforts with DPI.

At the end of the IGF session discussions, one conclusion stood out strong – that it is time for Africa to unravel the real strengthen of its economic potential by establishing a secure, inclusive and interoperable continent-wide digital ID system that will tear down down integration barriers.

Article Topics

Africa  |  data privacy  |  digital ID  |  digital inclusion  |  interoperability  |  tech sovereignty  |  West Africa digital ID