Ojimbingwe: The implementation of Namibia's new electronic national identity card (e-ID) aims to ensure that all Namibians, including those in decentralised and rural communities, are included in the country's digital transformation. The e-ID, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is a physical smart card embedded with a secure chip that will replace the current national identity document. It is designed to enhance security, combat fraud, and expand digital access to services, including banking, social grants, and online government transactions. Launched at Otjimbingwe on Tuesday, the communities' pilot will run across different communities until June 2026, after which a nationwide rollout will follow.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the pilot aims to seek input from communities who are often excluded from digital transformation, and also includes testing and onboarding of the mobile ID. During a courtesy meeting with Erongo Governor Natalia |Goagoses, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Christian Shingiro described the e-ID as a key instrument to modernise government services and protect citizens' information. 'This is not just a card, but a tool that will enable Namibia to leap into digital governance. It will reduce bureaucracy, safeguard identities, and strengthen access to services,' he said.
Head of Experimentation at UNDP Namibia Accelerator Lab, Dr Yrika Maritz, said the pilot initiative addresses long-standing gaps in reaching all communities. 'Digital identification cannot be reserved for those in towns alone. It is about equity, fairness and ensuring that no Namibian is left behind in accessing government programmes,' she noted, adding that UNDP will continue complementing government efforts in this regard.
Deputy Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Chief Registrar, Jackson Wandjiva, said Otjimbingwe was selected as one of the pilot sites due to its historical significance and diversity. 'Otjimbingwe is home to Namibia's first post office and was once a key administrative hub. It is fitting that we use this settlement as a testing ground for a project that connects our past with our future through technology,' he stated.
|Goagoses applauded government and its partners for extending the project beyond Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. 'Erongo has seven constituencies, and development must reach every pocket of our society. Piloting the e-ID in Otjimbingwe reminds us that technology does not always have to start in the capital. It can also start in a village, and perhaps that makes more sense,' she said.