Uganda plans to incorporate iris biometrics in national IDs to boost security and verification measures

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) of Uganda plans to incorporate iris biometrics as an extra security feature for the country’s national ID cards. This initiative comes amidst preparations for an extensive registration exercise aimed at renewing or enrolling about 30 million Ugandans whose IDs are set to expire.

These national IDs will also function as travel documents within the East African region. The new ID cards, which would be valid for a decade, are set to be issued commencing from June 1, 2024, with the exercise expected to conclude by January 2025.

Past incidents of forgery involving national IDs have heightened the urgency for more robust security measures. For instance, a Kenyan woman was arrested in Kampala in June 2023 for alleged forgery and illegal acquisition of a Ugandan national ID. In addition, in 2018, ten individuals were apprehended for forging national IDs, as reported by Kampala Metropolitan Police.

Hence, the inclusion of the iris biometric feature will bolster security and authentication. The upcoming ID cards will also possess a unique feature that becomes detectable under UV light, making any forgery or replication attempts considerably difficult.

The upcoming enrollment or renewal process is open to Ugandans over the age of 16 who do not currently possess an ID or have not applied for one. However, the renewal option is only available to individuals whose IDs are due to expire in 2024 or 2025. Those whose IDs will expire post-2025 will not need to renew their IDs at this stage.

NIRA had previously issued the initial batch of the current IDs in 2014 and 2015, with an expiration timeline of 10 years. In alignment with this practice, the newly issued ID cards will also have a validity period of 10 years.

NIRA will be setting up mobile enrollment sites to ease the registration process. Those with internet connectivity can initiate their application online and subsequently visit a mobile enrollment site to finalize the process. While the process of enrollment and renewal is free, an express service is available for those who wish to receive their ID card within 48 hours, at a cost of Shs50,000 ($12.9).

However, concerns about potential delays have emerged because NIRA appears to be ill-prepared. The lack of readiness is partially characterized by a significant shortfall in the necessary funds for hiring registration staff and procuring essential systems required for the process. Not having the IDs available in a timely manner could pose a considerable risk, given the critical role they play in numerous verification processes.

According to a report, the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, confirmed the financial challenges, stating there are insufficient funds to hire registration staff. Even though the government approved a supplementary budget of Shs300 billion ($77.5 million) for this purpose, only Shs192 billion ($49.6 million) have been allocated.

Muhoozi confirmed that training is being provided to staff in India on the new National Security Information System, and the procurement of the system is currently underway.

While some authorities have raised questions about the 10-year validity of the IDs, the Minister explained that security features on the IDs degrade over time. Furthermore, the physical features of individuals could also change, thus necessitating the need for renewal.