Findings of a study by the African Digital Rights Network has revealed that millions of citizens in Africa are unable to access essential services to which they are entitled because the new digital identification (ID) systems continue to be imposed across the continent.

The systems require them to provide biometric and personal information as a condition of accessing their human rights and government services such as voting, social protection payments, education and healthcare.

According to the new research published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), already marginalised groups struggle to register for biometric digital ID due to disability, illiteracy or associated costs like mobile data, phone access or electric power for phone charging, further deepening existing inequalities.

Many citizens also choose not to enrol in biometric digital IDs, which use identifiers such as fingerprint and iris scans or facial recognition due to fears of data leaks or mistrust in their government.

Notably, the report, which provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date account of biometric digital ID use in ten countries across Africa, discloses that most digital ID systems, estimated to cost at least $1 billion to install across the continent, currently lack adequate legal frameworks to protect citizens from exposure to human rights violations and robust digital security, to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data.

Additionally, they also lack accountability mechanisms for remedy and redress when data entry errors, breaches or system failures occur.

Dr Tony Roberts, Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies and co-editor of the report, worryingly observed that fundamental human rights like education, healthcare and the right to vote, are rapidly becoming conditional on enrolment in biometric digital ID systems.

“While some may benefit from the convenience of digital ID systems to access essential services, it is locking out millions of citizens who cannot enrol in biometric digital ID systems, particularly those with disabilities,” Dr Roberts observes.

He demonstrated that some people with visual impairments have to pay people to help them use their digital ID on mobile phones to access their social protection payments.

Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative and co-editor of the report Gbenga Sesan says many citizens do not want to enrol for a biometric digital ID because they have good reason not to trust their governments with their biometrics and personal information.

“We have found examples of massive data breaches and in some countries, personal data is used to survey and target peaceful critics of the government and opposition leaders,” he explains.

Sesan observes that the interests, rights and freedoms of all Africans especially those most directly at risk of exclusion and disadvantage, must be central to any biometric digital ID systems.

Meanwhile, the research raises questions regarding why governments and tech companies are introducing biometric ID systems in Africa, estimated at collectively costing over $1 billion to implement, which citizens have not asked for.

In some countries, according to the report, citizens have protested against the systems and the public opposition has caused delays or difficulties in getting citizens registered for a biometric digital ID.

Ultimately, the authors conclude that as governments adopt biometric digital ID systems to speed-up identification and service delivery, robust legislation must first be in place to protect citizens’ rights and data privacy.

Likewise, the research also recommends that biometric digital IDs should not be imposed top-down, but instead be developed in participation with citizens, to ensure that the benefits of digital IDs are shared equitably.

In the meantime, Report ‘Biometric Digital-ID in Africa: Progress and Challenges to Date – Ten Country Case Studies includes in-depth studies on the evolving digital ID systems in 10 countries, namely Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Liberia, Ethiopia, Egypt and Tunisia.

Each country report is authored by African researchers, coordinated by the African Digital Rights Network in collaboration with Paradigm Initiative.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Michael Omondi