ADDIS ABABA – Fayda, Ethiopia’s national digital ID, is playing a pivotal role in promoting inclusive digital transformation and enhancing the delivery of public services, according to senior officials.
The 2025 ID4Africa Global Conference, held in Addis Ababa under the theme: “Unlocking Identity for Development,” concluded yesterday. The conference showcased experiences from various countries focused on building robust digital identity systems. It was also announced that the next ID4Africa Conference will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Speaking at the event, Innovation and Technology Minister Belete Molla (PhD) emphasized that the Fayda digital ID is a cornerstone in Ethiopia’s digital transformation journey. He noted its role in facilitating digital payments, data exchange, and other key digital services.
According to the Minister, the progress achieved under the Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy is the result of inclusive planning, strong national leadership, and ongoing evaluation. Looking ahead, Ethiopia plans to adopt emerging technologies aligned with both national priorities and global trends over the next five years.
He highlighted the importance of clear and participatory strategies, identifying core challenges, fostering cooperative leadership, and creating an enabling environment to drive digital transformation forward.
Information Network Security Administration (INSA) Director General and ID4Africa Ambassador Tigest Hamid echoed these sentiments, stressing that Fayda brings multiple benefits to Ethiopia’s digital journey.
“Notably, the establishment of a national Digital Council has accelerated digital transition and enhanced government service delivery across the country,” she said.
She also pointed out that the Council is actively working on implementing digital identity, developing a national data exchange platform, establishing public key infrastructure, and building data centers. Fayda facilitates seamless information exchange among government institutions, the private sector, and other entities, while enabling integrated services like Mesob-a one-stop digital service platform.
Despite significant progress in expanding digital infrastructure, Tigest acknowledged that more needs to be done to ensure equitable access across all communities.
Supporting this view,the Addis Ababa Civil Registration and Residency Services Agency (CRRSA) Director General Yonas Alemayehu said the capital is taking a strategic approach to building a robust and inclusive identity system rooted in comprehensive civil registration.
He emphasized that the Addis Smart City Initiative has positioned civil registration as a core pillar for addressing governance challenges and improving digital service delivery for city residents. He also noted that the national digital ID initiative-Fayda-led by the Prime Minister, is becoming a foundational component of Addis Ababa’s digital transformation.
According to Yonas, the ongoing Fayda enrollment campaign-carried out by CRRSA in collaboration with the National ID Program-has seen a rapid increase in registration rates, demonstrating strong public engagement and institutional momentum.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 24 MAY 2025
