Rwanda to Launch $70 Million Digital Identity Card Project

The Ministry of Technology and Innovation has announced that the Digital Identity Card Project will cost over $70 million (more than 101 billion Rwf) to complete. The initiative, which began in 2023, aims to modernize the national identity system and expand access to services for all residents.

Minister of Technology and Innovation, Ingabire Paula, stated that the World Bank has contributed over $48 million (69 billion Rwf) toward building the system but emphasized that additional funding is required to fully implement the project.

“There is a need to build a system and update services that were previously provided to citizens based on their identity cards, so they can start using the electronic identity card,” Minister Ingabire said in an interview with RBA.

The electronic ID card will be issued not only to Rwandans aged 16 and above, but also to foreign residents, refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, temporary residents, migrants, and stateless people.

Unlike the traditional ID, the new card will have a QR code that can be carried digitally on a phone or computer, alongside a unique token number to access personal information. This will eliminate the need to carry a physical card when requesting services such as opening bank accounts.

The National Identity Agency (NIDA) has already registered over 3,300 people through a pre-enrollment platform, designed to verify identities and correct errors before issuing the electronic cards. The program officially launched on August 7, 2025, at the Kigali International Fair and will continue at the Indangamirwa Church, before expanding nationwide to districts including Huye, Gisagara, and Nyanza.

Two centers have been set up in each sector, staffed by trained personnel to assist residents with identity verification and documentation, including fingerprints and facial recognition. Currently, 1,144 workers have been trained, with plans to expand to 2,500 by May 2026.

The new ID card will reduce the data collected from 27 categories to nine essential data sets, including names, parents’ names, contact information, and place of birth, ensuring a complete and streamlined identity system.

Minister Ingabire added that by May 2026, Rwanda is expected to become the first African country to implement a fully operational digital ID card, ahead of other nations still in the development phase.

The project has been allocated 5.4 billion Rwf for 2024/2025 and 12.2 billion Rwf for 2025/2026, with additional donor support being sought to ensure nationwide rollout.

This digital ID system is expected to enhance access to public and private services, improve efficiency, and strengthen national identity management across Rwanda.