Madagascar started a national biometric drive for a digital ID

Madagascar just kicked off nationwide biometrics, chasing universal legal ID and digital services, and it is already moving fast.

National biometric rollout begins

• Madagascar launched a countrywide biometric identity drive.
• Approved by the Council of Ministers.
• Backed by the World Bank PRODIGY project.
• Targets over 12 million residents.

What the program assigns

• A Unique Identifier Number gets issued per person.
• Designed to lock one identity to one human.
• Aims to crush duplicate records.

Who is running the machine

• The Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization leads operations.
• The Ministry of Digital Development, Posts and Telecommunications runs the tech.
• Digital Governance Unit connects justice, registry, and services.

How enrollment actually works

• Biometric capture uses fingerprints, face, and iris data.
• Records are cross-checked for uniqueness.
• Focus stays on accuracy over speed.

Pilot testing phase

• Atsimondrano district hosts the initial trial.
• Senior state officials are directly involved.
• Systems get stress-tested and adjusted.

Planned national expansion

• Nationwide rollout is scheduled between April and June 2026.
• Around two million adults are expected first.
• Priority goes to citizens aged 18 and older.

Why the state cares

• Digital ID underpins access to public services.
• Economic inclusion is a central goal.
• Faster, clearer governance is the long game.