Kenya poised to build a robust digital ID ecosystem for inclusive growth

As governments worldwide digitise public services, the case for secure and inclusive digital identification systems has never been stronger. The United Kingdom’s recent move to expand the use of digital IDs to manage immigration and access to public services underscores a global shift towards data-driven governance.

In Africa, Kenya stands out as a frontrunner, leveraging technology to streamline service delivery and broaden citizen access. ECS Africa has supported the government’s eCitizen platform in digitising over 22,000 public services, from business registration to healthcare applications. As of late 2025, 13.7 million Kenyans were registered on the platform, which records an average of 500,000 daily visits.

Yet this represents only part of Kenya’s digital transformation journey. With a population exceeding 50 million, more than half remain outside the digital ecosystem. Achieving universal inclusion will require continued government commitment, private-sector innovation, and new investment models.

Digital Identity as a Fiscal and Governance Tool

A robust digital ID is more than a technological convenience—it is an instrument for economic management and policy execution. Linking identity to service delivery enhances transparency, strengthens revenue forecasting, reduces fraud, and supports evidence-based resource allocation.

Kenya’s progress offers early lessons through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) where more than 1.2 million Grade 9 students in 2025 used digital IDs to enrol and select senior schools.

The Social Health Authority (SHA), covering 27.2 million citizens, uses digital IDs to authenticate claims and prescriptions in real time, reducing costs and curbing fraud, and the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS) has registered 6.9 million farmers, facilitating targeted subsidies and data-driven productivity monitoring.

These infrastructures are reshaping public expenditure by giving the Treasury access to reliable population and service-demand data—critical inputs for macroeconomic planning.

Building Trust and Infrastructure

Kenya’s digital ID agenda aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which seeks legal identity for all by 2030. Digital IDs enhance financial inclusion, credit visibility, and participation in the formal economy.

The country already boasts a strong foundation—broadband connectivity, data centres, and a national cloud backbone. The next phase calls for public–private partnerships (PPPs) to sustain investment, strengthen cybersecurity, and ensure data sovereignty.

With mobile penetration above 130 per cent, Kenya is well placed for mass adoption. Local technology firms, already active in digitising public services, bring essential expertise in cybersecurity, analytics, and systems integration—ensuring that the digital ID ecosystem remains resilient and locally anchored.

Balancing Efficiency with Privacy

While digital IDs promise efficiency and inclusion, they also raise legitimate concerns about data protection and governance. Kenya’s Data Protection Act and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) offer a solid regulatory framework, but consistent enforcement and citizen awareness will be crucial.

Trust will be the currency of adoption. Clear communication, strong encryption standards, and transparency in data use will determine whether citizens fully embrace the system—especially in rural and marginalised areas.

Positioning Kenya as a Regional Model

Kenya’s track record in digitising services positions it as a continental leader in digital identity infrastructure. By aligning its systems with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy, Kenya could pioneer a regional framework for interoperable IDs—simplifying trade, travel, and investment across borders.

The economic dividends are substantial: lower administrative costs, enhanced tax compliance, greater productivity, and inclusive growth. A well-executed digital ID ecosystem could simultaneously boost public-sector efficiency and spur private-sector innovation in fintech, health, and agriculture.

Kenya’s readiness to scale its digital ID infrastructure represents both a national imperative and a continental opportunity—to use data intelligently, govern transparently, and grow inclusively.

With coherent policy, sustained investment, and trusted technology partners, Kenya could close its digital inclusion gap and export a proven model of digital governance for Africa’s next decade.

Eng. John Barorot, Board Member, eCitizen Solutions LLP