Access to identification is obviously more than a legal requirement. Participation in the modern society requires having a proper means of proven your identity. Nothing new, right? For Sub-Saharan Africa, where 470 million people still lack formal identification, the road to inclusive growth and digital advancement is delicately tied to ID ownership.
With initiatives like the World Bank’s Global Findex and the Identification for Development (ID4D) program, we are gaining unprecedented insights into the barriers to ID ownership and the opportunities that a well-established identification system can provide. These initiatives are not only helping us understand the scale of the problem but also guiding nations toward practical solutions that could revolutionize access to essential services.
5 Key Takeaways
1. ID Ownership is Crucial for Access to Services: In Sub-Saharan Africa, millions lack formal identification, which limits access to essential services like banking, healthcare, and government aid. This exclusion hampers economic mobility and financial stability, making ID ownership vital for personal and national progress.
2. Barriers to ID Access Are Multifaceted: Disparities in ID ownership, especially in rural areas and among women, stem from various factors such as lack of supporting documentation, high costs, and long distances to registration offices. Addressing these barriers requires coordinated efforts, including cost reduction and extending registration services to remote regions.
3. Digital IDs Offer a Promising Solution: Digital ID systems are emerging as a way to simplify the registration process and improve access to services. They can reduce geographical and financial barriers, enhance security, and foster trust in digital transactions, though their adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa remains slow.
4. Trust and Comprehensive Systems are Essential for Success: While digital IDs are promising, building public trust in their security is crucial. Additionally, creating an integrated identification system, which includes other necessary documentation like utility bills, is key to ensuring full access to financial services and other essential services.
5. ID Ownership Supports Broader Development Goals: Universal ID ownership is more than a legal requirement; it is central to achieving goals like financial inclusion, poverty reduction, and gender equality. Expanding both physical and digital ID access will lead to a more inclusive and prosperous future for Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Urgency of Legal Identification
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, millions of people face systemic barriers to essential services simply because they lack a government-issued ID. The impact of this is widespread. Without ID, people are shut out from critical services such as opening a bank account, receiving government aid, or even buying a SIM card. This exclusion does not just inconvenience individuals—it places a profound strain on their economic mobility and security. When someone is unable to make secure digital payments or take out a loan, they are essentially locked out of financial growth and stability.
One particularly striking example comes from Uganda, where the introduction of a national ID database saved the government approximately $7 million in just one year through the verification of civil servants. In Malawi, merging voter registration and national ID systems generated savings of $44 million. These numbers alone highlight the enormous potential that robust identification systems hold, not just for individual empowerment but for government efficiency and cost-saving.
For those without ID, the obstacles are tangible. They risk theft by carrying cash and waste time transferring money in person. These barriers slow economic progress at a national level, as well as a personal one. A legal identity, particularly a digital one, is more than just a formality—it’s a passport to participation in a globalized, interconnected world.
ID Ownership in Africa: Understanding the Barriers to ID Access
While the benefits of ID ownership are clear, achieving full access remains a significant issue across the region. The Global Findex data reveal significant disparities in ID ownership across Sub-Saharan Africa. In 36 countries surveyed, 78% of eligible individuals over 15 years old possess an ID, but in 13 countries, that figure drops below 70%. These discrepancies are often tied to socioeconomic status, with rural populations, women, and those living in poverty disproportionately affected.
The reasons for this are manifold. The most commonly cited barrier is the lack of supporting documentation, such as a birth certificate, needed to obtain an ID. Many individuals live too far from the nearest registration office, and for others, the cost of acquiring an ID is prohibitively high. This is particularly true for women, who often face higher costs due to the additional documentation and travel required to register. In Niger, for example, 13% of adults without an ID were unsure of the costs involved, suggesting that a lack of awareness compounds the difficulty.
Addressing these barriers requires a coordinated effort. Governments must not only lower the financial burden of obtaining an ID but also extend registration facilities into remote areas. Additionally, widespread public education campaigns are needed to inform citizens about the process and costs involved. Without these measures, the disparities in ID ownership will continue to perpetuate inequality.
The Role of Digital ID in Closing the Gap
Digital identification has emerged as a promising solution to many of the barriers faced by Sub-Saharan African countries. Governments are increasingly exploring digital ID systems that can simplify the registration process, cut costs, and provide greater accessibility to services. When implemented with the right safeguards, digital IDs can offer a more secure, efficient, and accessible means of verification. They help overcome geographical barriers, reduce the risk of identity theft, and foster greater trust in online transactions.
However, while the adoption of digital IDs is progressing, problems remain. Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind other regions in developing advanced digital ID capabilities, and there is still some uncertainty about whether people in these countries will trust the new systems. Trust is critical, as a digital ID system must not only be secure but also perceived as such by its users. To address this, the Global Findex and ID4D initiatives are introducing new questions in their upcoming survey to measure people’s confidence in digital identification systems. This data will be essential for shaping future policies and ensuring that people see digital IDs as a reliable and beneficial tool.
Furthermore, digital IDs alone are not enough to fully bridge the gap. While they may facilitate access to services, there are still other forms of documentation, such as utility bills, required by financial institutions for customer due diligence. Comprehensive solutions must involve creating an integrated system that streamlines all the necessary forms of identification to make services truly accessible to all.
ID Ownership in Africa: Building Inclusive Future
The push for universal ID ownership in Sub-Saharan Africa is more than a bureaucratic goal; it is a moral and economic imperative. Legal and digital identification systems are foundational to broader development objectives such as financial inclusion, poverty reduction, and gender equality. For millions of individuals, the ability to access financial services, vote, or even communicate via mobile phones depends on the simple act of holding an ID.
Looking ahead, governments and organizations must take concrete steps to overcome the existing barriers to ID ownership. Developing gender-sensitive digital public infrastructure is key to ensuring that no one is left behind. In addition, creating mobile ID registration units that travel to rural areas, subsidizing the costs associated with obtaining an ID, and educating people about the importance and process of registration are essential steps toward achieving widespread inclusion.
The declaration that legal identification is a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) priority is an important initiative that deserves praise. It not only acknowledges the systemic obstacles faced by marginalized communities but also sets a clear path forward. By committing to this goal, the international community is affirming the right of every individual to participate fully in society.
If successfully implemented, we can reach a future where all Sub-Saharan Africans have guaranteed access to essential services and financial inclusion. The efforts to expand ID ownership—both physical and digital—represent a significant step toward a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for the region.
