Zambia looking for MOSIP system integrator to support digital ID project

The Zambian government, through the Smart Zambia Institute (SZI) is in search of an international technology partner that will support the country’s planned digital ID rollout.

SZI National Coordinator Percy Chinyama told the country’s state broadcaster ZNBC recently that the ID system is being implemented by Zambians themselves through a ‘home-grown’ approach, but the role of the international partner will be to provide additional expertise.

The country is specifically looking for a system integrator that will provide services for the deployment, customization and integration of the MOSIP-based digital ID system with the national civil registration architecture. Laxton was recently certified as a MOSIP system integrator.

Chinyama emphasized that with the digital ID project having entered a critical phase now, their objective is to do everything possible to have a highly functional and inclusive infrastructure that makes access to public and private sector services seamless for citizens.

“What we are doing now, with the financing we received from the World Bank, is building an ecosystem. That ecosystem will require an application system, and we have insisted that this system be built by Zambians. Most importantly, we want it to use open standards so that we are not locked in and can maintain and sustain it for the sake of long-term sustainability,” Chinyama told ZNBC.

He added that the first phase is to select a service provider who will effectively deliver the goods. “Once you have the digital ID, it will be something you can use across different aspects of your life where identification is required. We want to reach a point where everyone with a bank account is properly identified. Most importantly, one of the functional strengths of the digital ID is that simply having it can automatically make you bankable.”

Earlier this year, Chinyama assured Zambians that the digital ID program will be fully rolled out by the end of this year. At the same time, the SZI also aims to ensure that at least 80 percent of the country’s citizens are integrated in the digital economy before the year runs out.

According to the Presidential Delivery Unit, a structure at Zambia’s presidency monitoring high-priority projects for the country, substantial financial allocations have been made in this year’s budget to drive the government’s digital inclusion objectives.

The digital ID initiative is part of the Digital Zambia Acceleration Project (DZAP) which has more than $100 million funding from the World Bank’s International Development Association.

As Zambia looks to a full digital ID rollout, it is taking partnerships and collaborations seriously. Already, it has an MoU with Ethiopia to learn from the latter’s Fayda digital ID implementation model.

Last month, a team from SZI led by Chinyama met with a delegation from the Gates Foundation to discuss ways of strengthening collaboration to support Zambia’s digital public infrastructure execution.

Technology, including AI, is considered a major aspect of Zambia’s mega money digital economy plans. The government believes digital adoption will significantly support the country’s $60 billion 2031 digital transformation vision.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  civil registration  |  digital ID  |  MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform)  |  national ID  |  procurement  |  SMART Zambia  |  tender  |  World Bank