Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized the pivotal role of digital identity in achieving inclusive development and economic growth. He backed this assertion by announcing that Ethiopia's Fayda digital identity system has already facilitated an astounding 9.6 trillion Birr in digital transactions.
During the annual general assembly of ID4Africa 2025, the Prime Minister stated that in our digital world, utilizing a digital identity helps individuals build capacity and enables nations to have strong and inclusive structures.
He further noted that as digital identity gains global attention, its effectiveness can be measured by the extent to which it transforms people's lives.
The Prime Minister highlighted that for years, Ethiopia's identity cards were implemented in a fragmented manner, with the system neglecting millions and benefiting only a limited segment of society. He also mentioned that this made it difficult to provide basic services to millions when they encountered problems.
Consequently, he stated the need to establish Fayda digital system to create a trustworthy digital identity system free from fraudulent identities.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) clarified that Fayda is not merely a card; it is a unique identification number that verifies identity by protecting individuals' private information and sharing only what is necessary.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Fayda, integrated into key sectors such as finance, health, and education, has facilitated the circulation of 9.6 trillion Birr in digital transactions.
He also indicated that there are plans to register 90 million people for Fayda in Ethiopia, and so far, over 15 million people have been registered.