Opening the ‘black box’ of national digital identity systems: another invisible border for Africans?

Abstract

Biometric digital identity systems have been promoted as a solution for Africa’s development challenges. By providing accurate and reliable identification of citizens, these systems are expected to enable better planning and resource allocation by states. However, this optimistic view overlooks the border logic embedded in the design and deployment of these systems. In this article, the author critically examines the assumptions and implications of biometric digital identity systems in Africa. By broadening the debate on the intersection of African ‘mobilities’, responsible innovation, and the deployment of biometric technology, the author attempt to pry open the ‘black box’ of national digital identity systems and contends that the diffusion of these systems in Africa is driven more by the Global North’s border interests than by the local populations’ development needs.