en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Democratic Republic of the Congo will officially launch the national digital identification system, RDC-PASS, in Kinshasa on June 13. This project, part of the "Digital Congo 2030" strategy, is strongly supported by President Félix Tshisekedi. The system is positioned as a unique, secure, and free identifier, aiming to assign each citizen an interoperable digital identity for administrative, financial, and social services. Its goals include reducing bureaucratic red tape, curbing document fraud, and improving access to public services in a country where identification systems remain fragmented and unevenly accessible.
According to the DRC Ministry of Planning, the system's development is based on an investment of approximately $97.1 million. This project is part of a public-private partnership signed in June 2025 between the Congolese state and Trident Digital Tech DRC Africa SAS, a subsidiary of the Singapore-based group Trident Digital Tech Holdings. The partnership, lasting 20 years, grants the company the exclusive role of electronic identification service (e-KYC) provider, leveraging Web 3.0 technology and advanced digital verification mechanisms. Trident Digital Tech Holdings also stated it has raised $2.6 million to support the initial deployment and commercialization of the system in the Congolese market.
For comparison, several African countries have launched similar large-scale projects. Nigeria has registered tens of millions of citizens through its NIN system, while Kenya is building its ecosystem around digital identity by integrating e-government services.
The RDC-PASS architecture is based on four main uses: biometric authentication for SIM cards to limit fraudulent phone lines, unified access to e-government platforms via a unique identifier, integrated automatic e-KYC systems for financial services, and provision of a secure digital identity as a complement to physical documents. In this architecture, the identifier becomes a central entry point for public and private services, with a logic of interoperability among administrative bodies, telecom operators, and financial institutions.
According to authorities, the system deployment will be phased, including technical audits, pilot tests, and a gradual expansion after the official launch. However, issues of data sovereignty, data storage, and management by a foreign private entity for 20 years remain central to the debate surrounding the project. RDC-PASS is part of a broader government plan that estimates a $1 billion investment in digital development between 2026 and 2030, where digital identity is considered infrastructure on par with connectivity or e-government platforms.
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