Fayda, FII convene stakeholders on digital ID and eKYC coordination in Ethiopia
Date: 2026-04-25
By: Robert Kwaku Annor
Fayda
Ethiopian National ID Program and Financial Innovation for Impact (FII) have
co-hosted a workshop focused on strengthening regulatory coordination around
digital identity and electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) systems in Ethiopia.
The
workshop, held under the theme “Cross Regulatory Dialogue on Digital ID and
eKYC,” brought together representatives from government institutions, the
private sector and non-governmental organisations to discuss progress and
challenges in implementing digital identity systems.
During the session, the National ID Programme presented an update on the rollout of Ethiopia’s digital ID system, highlighting significant progress in enrolment and adoption. The Fii team also shared findings from its research on Digital Public Infrastructure, including preliminary insights into cross-regulatory coordination.
Discussions
underscored the importance of close collaboration with regulators, particularly
the National Bank of Ethiopia, in enabling the integration of digital ID within
the financial sector. Participants noted that coordinated regulatory frameworks
have played a key role in streamlining adoption and ensuring compliance.
Stakeholders
also emphasised the need for deliberate policy design and inclusive strategies
to ensure that digital ID systems serve all segments of the population. The
role of the private sector was highlighted, with participants encouraged to
build solutions that leverage the Fayda ID platform as adoption expands.
The
workshop further identified inclusive communication, digital literacy and
access to devices as critical factors in achieving broad-based implementation.
Participants stressed that addressing these challenges will be essential to
ensuring equitable access and maximising the impact of digital identity
systems.
The
engagement reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Ethiopia’s digital ecosystem
through coordinated policy development and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
