Millions in Africa denied services as biometric IDs lock out vulnerable citizens

Millions of people across Africa are being denied access to essential public services, despite being legally entitled to them, due to the rapid rollout of biometric digital-ID programmes that many citizens cannot afford or are unable to enrol in.

A new report by the African Digital Rights Network warns that these systems lack robust legal frameworks, leaving citizens vulnerable to rights violations.

It shows that digital-ID systems are being imposed in several African countries, forcing citizens to submit biometric and personal information before they can access basic human rights and government services, including voting, social protection payments, education, and healthcare.

Marginalised groups

Researchers found that marginalised groups face significant obstacles when attempting to register for biometric digital IDs, due to disabilities, low literacy levels, or associated costs such as mobile data, access to phones, or the expense of charging devices. These barriers exacerbate long-standing social and economic inequalities.

The report also notes that many citizens choose to opt out of biometric systems—which rely on fingerprint, iris, or facial recognition—due to widespread fears of data breaches and mistrust of government authorities. It provides what is described as the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of digital-ID use across ten African nations.

Dr Tony Roberts, Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and co-editor of the report, said that although installing digital-ID systems across Africa has cost an estimated US$1 billion, many lack the legal safeguards needed to prevent rights violations and ensure digital security.

“Worryingly, fundamental human rights, like education, healthcare and the right to vote, are rapidly becoming conditional on enrolment in biometric digital-ID systems,” Roberts said in the report.

“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, particularly those with disabilities.”

Citizens with visual impairments

He added that some citizens with visual impairments are forced to pay others to operate their digital IDs on mobile phones so they can receive social protection payments.

Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative and co-editor of the report, echoed these concerns, linking the reluctance to enrol to a history of mishandled personal information across multiple countries.

“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,” Sesan said.

“We have found examples of massive data breaches, and in some countries, personal data is used to surveil and target peaceful critics of the government and opposition leaders. The interests, rights and freedoms of all Africans, but especially those most directly at risk of exclusion and disadvantage, must be central to any biometric digital-ID systems.”

Critical questions on biometric systems

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• Africa
• Africa
• Human Rights
• data protection
• Social Protection
• civil liberties
• biometric ID
• digital identity
• voter access
• surveillance
• digital exclusion
• Millions in Africa denied services as biometric IDs lock out vulnerable citizens
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According to Sesan, the report raises critical questions about why governments and technology companies are pushing biometric systems—collectively costing over one billion dollars—when citizens have not demanded them. In some countries, public protests have delayed registration or made implementation difficult.

The report emphasises that as African governments increasingly adopt biometric digital IDs to accelerate identification and service delivery, they must first enact strong laws to protect citizens’ rights and data privacy.

It also stresses that digital-ID systems should not be imposed from above, but developed with citizen participation to ensure fair and equitable access.

The study, “Biometric Digital-ID in Africa: Progress and Challenges to Date, Ten Country Case Studies”, features detailed analyses from African researchers on evolving digital-ID systems in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Tunisia, coordinated by the African Digital Rights Network in collaboration with Paradigm Initiative.