Kenya unveils ambitious plans for enhanced biometrics and universal digital ID system
During the 7th ID4Africa Augmented General Meeting, Kenya announced plans to enhance its current Automated Fingerprint Identification System by incorporating iris and facial recognition technologies.
During the 7th ID4Africa Augmented General Meeting, Kenya announced that it plans to upgrade its Automated Fingerprint Identification System to create an advanced Automated Biometric Identification System. This upgraded system will include fingerprints and incorporate iris and facial recognition technologies.
The government also aims to introduce an electronic identification system with a machine-readable chip and QR code. Eventually, this will lead to a digital ID system for web-based ID authentication. It will become a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), which will be given to all newborns and serve as their ID when they turn 18.
The UPI rollout is scheduled for 16 September, aligning with the global digital identity milestone date. The government also intends to expand the E-Citizen platform to provide easy access to more than the initially planned 5,000 digitalised services.