Digital IDs are treasured documents all over the world because they make sure everyone has a way of verifying their identity to transact with the public and private sectors online. This simple feature has profound implications for every country’s digital transformation journey as well as its development goals.
I say so because upon typing the magic numbers, one accesses all the necessary information about the individual hence no questions and answers session at the point of service or transaction.
Unclear or questionable identity can destroy a life. In many instances, it leads to struggles in securing basic government services including access to public healthcare, education, voting services and safety net programmes such as the one implemented by the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF). A digital identity will make these services more accessible, while improving quality of life for both citizens and residents.
On the other side, in the private sector, having the means to verify customers’ identity during online transactions, by way of a national digital identity, helps improve user experience while lowering the risk of online fraud. This is especially important in sectors such as banking and other financial services, retail and travel.
One quality which makes digital ID a super document is the fact that it is foolproof. Yes, there are physical IDs which may be linked to online government records but these continue to be inferior today, as they can be easily manipulated or purchased or acquired illegally.
Last Thursday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan directed the Home Affairs ministry and the Ministry of Information, Communications and Information Technology to fast-track the process of introducing unified identity card numbers.
Launching the Airtel 2Africa submarine cable and 5G internet facilitation in Dar es Salaam, she said the National Identification Authority (NIDA) needs to work together with the two ministries in supervising the harmonisation of digital identification systems in public institutions.
The president tasked Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa with the work of overseeing liaisons between the respective ministries to bring up the ‘lifetime identifier’. This involves ensuring that government offices and other public services go digital, with the comprehensive digital ID expected to contain detailed information on the holder.
“I have said this two times and this is the third time, so I want to see implementation of this,” she stated, emphasizing the need to ensure that the country’s systems are harmonised.
“We should not be preaching on podiums everyday on digital services while we are not utilising them,” she said, urging the public to ensure that they have national IDs (NIDA cards) bearing correct information to avoid disturbances when seeking services in various areas.
If you read the President’s words in quote, you realize that she doesn’t want more talk on this matter; she wants action and I think that is why she assigned its supervision to the PM. This is the way to go because national digital ID system is certainly the first step in building a digitally inclusive society.
It is important to remind ourselves at this juncture that once all systems go, no one should remain behind. I say so because for this to be effective, having a high citizen enrollment is key to ensure that everyone has access to the same government services and experiences the same level of simplicity and security when they sign up for services or transact online.
One of the hurdles in the fight against poverty in developing countries is financial inclusion especially of the rural folks. Citizens are typically excluded from the financial system due to the inaccessibility of physical bank branches. But a national digital ID system provides a means to verify citizens digitally and thus opens up the option to disburse support without a physical branch.
The submarine cable launched by President Samia is expected to further underpin strong and fixed broadband with improved connectivity even for the underserved and rural areas. It will greatly stimulate an inclusive digital economy and make Tanzania a centre of excellence in the sector, she further noted.
“The launch of this high technology by Airtel Tanzania is the best example of public-private partnership,” she said, adding that the government alone cannot achieve technological goals and needs collaboration.
The President said that owing to the rapid growth of the ICT sector, the government was placing a conducive environment to facilitate investments. The development of digital services and investing in modern infrastructure will facilitate the provision of services promoting digital inclusion, she asserted.
Users who will benefit from free WIFI need to utilise internet access well by widening their knowledge, seeking opportunities and improving incomes, she said, citing the role of the National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) as reducing investment costs for service providers.
The author is a commentator on current affairs based in Dar es Salaam. He can be reach on 0655 522 922.
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