East African nation Madagascar has registered 2.6 million individuals in its digital identity system, meanwhile the World Bank who is also financing the biometric initiative is aiming for everyone in Africa to have a digital ID by the year 2030.
Madagascar initiated [1] a pilot programme for its digital identity infrastructure in January, aiming to enrol 2 million individuals from April to June. According to government data released by Copmad, [2] the initiative surpassed its goals achieving 2.6 million registrations. This digital ID system is a crucial aspect of [3] the country's Digital Governance and Identification Management System Project or PRODIGY, [4] which is backed by $143 million in funding from the World Bank.
A critical aspect of the Prodigy initiative involves the use of advanced technology to enhance the registration process. Supported by the World Bank, the Digital Governance and Identification Management System project aims to facilitate universal birth registration and identity coverage in Madagascar. The initiative seeks to improve the ID-M system and bolster the government's ability to provide services across multiple sectors.
Laxton, [5] a leading Identity Systems Integrator, has collaborated with [6] the PRODIGY digital governance programme to implement Madagascar's digital ID scheme. Laxton has provided two types of biometric enrolment kits tailored for large-scale national registration, mobile kits and ultra-mobile kits. Each kit is designed to capture fingerprints, a facial image, and both irises. “Through the PRODIGY programme, Laxton was commissioned to design, supply, deploy, and support the mass biometric enrolment solution that would underpin Madagascar's National ID rollout. The assignment spanned the full project lifecycle: biometric enrolment kits, software deployment, database integration, field logistics, commissioning, quality assurance, training, and in-country operational support,” stated Laxton.
In 2018, the World Bank Group [7] offered extensive financial and technical assistance through the ID4D initiative at both national and regional levels in Africa. Nearly US$1 billion was being allocated for digital identification and civil registration projects across 23 African nations. The ID4D has also partnered with [8] the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Australian Government and Omidyar Network, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. The World Bank Group have also stated in their press release that is taking measures to ensure that all individuals in Africa possess a digital identity by the year 2030. Amina Mohamed who is [9] the Deputy Secretary- General of the United Nations and Co-Chair of the ID4D High Level Advisory Council said, “Digital identification can play an important role in achieving the sustainable development goals. It can enable the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people to gain access to critical services, from education to healthcare and financing, while also advancing their legal and political rights.”
Mo Ibrahim, [10] who is the Chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and a Member of the World Bank’s ID4D High Level Advisory Council also said, “If half of our population cannot prove who they are, how can they engage and exercise their rights? Africa must get this right and be bold. We need a common approach across Africa to not only provide people with a way to prove who they are, but also put in place responsible and trusted systems which respect people’s right to privacy.” However, Tony Roberts [11] a Digital Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies released a report in 2025 [11] titled Biometric Digital-ID in Africa: Progress and Challenges to Date – Ten Country Case Studies which raises significant concerns regarding exclusion, rights violations, data protection, and accountability. Based on evidence collected from 10 African countries including Senegal, Ghana and Kenya, it illustrates that millions of individuals face challenges in enrolling in or safely utilizing these systems, or are opting out of participation due to fear and mistrust.
In a column for the Conversation [13] titled Biometric IDs are being rolled out in Africa Study reveals the risks and pitfalls, millions of Africans face challenges in obtaining legal identification, as government officials frequently contest their citizenship. The implementation of digital ID systems is promoted as a potential solution. However, research indicates that these initiatives may perpetuate existing discrimination and injustices. Tony Roberts wrote, “The use of biometric digital ID introduces new challenges and risks. These include risks to privacy caused by data leakage or sharing and risks of exclusion due to poor data quality or mismatches. There are also privacy risks involved because biometrics are permanent. People need to be aware and give informed consent. Data protection principles should be followed. There is a lack of adequate legal frameworks and robust digital security to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data. Countries also lack accountability mechanisms for when data entry errors, breaches or system failures occur.”
Roberts then concluded by saying, “Independent oversight bodies are rare, as are judicial mechanisms to contain function creep where ID systems expand beyond their original scope. Governments could secure consent by saying that digital-ID will only be used for a single purpose, such as voting. But then they could make it mandatory for accessing education, healthcare, employment and banking. Without stronger legislation, clearer accountability and harmonised regional standards, digital-ID projects risk entrenching inequality and mistrust rather than delivering inclusion or security.”