MicroSave Consulting: CMU, MSC open hackathon series to increase digital ID use cases in Africa

Students from universities across Eastern Africa have been invited to submit ideas in the first of a series of planned hackathons intended to identify and test new digital ID use cases for eventual real-world deployment. The hackathon is organized by Upanzi Network at the Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, and MicroSave Consulting (MSC), a collaborative partnership of research engineering labs and a global consulting firm that has worked with governments for the past 25 years. In an announcement, the partners note that digital ID adoption is increasingly gaining momentum in Africa but its real-world use cases are limited to just a handful of sectors. The hackathon, they underline, is thus an opportunity for students in universities around the continent to identify new and innovative areas in which digital ID can be used to make people's lives better. For the East Africa part of the hackathon, which is focused on fostering regional integration and inclusion, interested students are expected to submit their proposals by August 11. But before doing so, they will be taken through a virtual course on the key aspects of what digital ID is all about. Selected finalists will receive mentorship and guidance from digital ID experts on how to further develop their proposals in order to render them deployable in real world circumstances. These projects will be presented at an East African regional conference slated for either September or October. Assane Gueye, co-director of the Upanzi Network, says the hackathons are an opportunity for universities to contribute to digital transformation efforts on the continent. "To achieve sustainable implementation of digital ID within African countries, there needs to be a local knowledge capacity that understands both the technology and the nuances of their respective countries' challenges and culture," said Gueye. "These hackathons will allow students to explore new digital transformation approaches. The use cases emerging from these hackathons will reflect a deep understanding of local contexts and cultural nuances, ensuring they are both relevant and sustainable," commented Mitul Thapliyal, partner at MSC. "This initiative aligns perfectly with our commitment to building sustainable, inclusive, and resilient digital economies across Africa." Last year, a project supported by UNECA identified at least 11 key areas in which digital ID can deliver high value for development efforts in Nigeria. The consultancy used the northern state of Kaduna as a case study.