Three-country investigation shows digital IDs in Africa failing to deliver promised democratic and development boost, while making fortunes for tech vendors<\/p>\n
Some of the world\u2019s poorest countries have been investing heavily in digital ID systems which it is claimed will deliver democratic and development dividends. Africa has been at the forefront of this push supported by the World Bank, UN agencies and the international community. Some of Africa\u2019s most fragile states have been encouraged to spend billions of dollars on biometric systems from national IDs to voting systems.<\/p>\n
While Africa has become a lucrative market for multinational tech vendors, the promised benefits of trustworthy election results and a revolutionising of the way that states deliver vital services is far harder to discern.<\/p>\n
At the 2024 ID4Africa trade fair in South Africa, the promises kept coming: economic growth, empowering individuals, reducing government spending, enabling trust and being a key tool in solving humanitarian crises.<\/p>\n
The conference sponsors include a who\u2019s who of companies that have benefited from contracts meant to confer legitimacy on electoral processes and unlock the potential of Africa\u2019s demographic advantage over other ageing continents.<\/p>\n
A legal identity is among the UN\u2019s sustainable development goals, where it is defined as a fundamental human right. The drive to meet this goal has seen near-bankrupt states prioritise the capture and storage of biometric data from iris scans and fingerprints to facial images.<\/p>\n
We set out to investigate what has become of the blockbuster deals struck in sub-Saharan Africa. What has actually been delivered? Who has benefited? How have they been financed? And how have people on the ground in those countries been affected?<\/p>\n