OTJIMBINGWE – Namibia has tested a prototype system that will allow users to access their identity documents on their smart devices as well as register new births remotely.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), tested the system in Otjimbingwe last week.
Levi Ileka, a senior analyst programmer at the ministry, explained that the mobile application will allow mothers and community health workers to also register children’s births from the comfort of their homes.
“In cases where mothers live far from hospital or clinic services, they can work with a community health worker using a mobile phone to register a newborn for a birth certificate,” he said.
Once the information is received by the ministry, any documents that require signatures are sent back via the app. Mothers can then sign digitally on their phones, after which the birth certificate is approved and ready to be used officially. According to Ileka, the certificate will also be available on the mobile app, meaning families will not need hard copies.
This, he noted, will save costs and increase the number of registered births.
Provision has also been made for rural areas and informal settlements. An offline version of the app allows community health workers to capture data, which is later downloaded into a central database during clinic meetings.
“The plan is for every mother in rural areas to be able to register their child from home. If a mother does not own a mobile phone, a community health worker can assist with their own devices,” Ileka explained.
Although still at the early stages, the system has shown promise. Ileka admitted that more modifications are needed and additional services will be added in future.
“At the moment, we only have the signature service, which allows documents to be signed online. We still have a long way to go, but the users are keen to learn and contribute to the mobile application’s usage.” He further noted that awareness campaigns and training will be key to ensure communities are comfortable using the system.
Ileka said the ministry plans to return to the area to make sure people are ready to use the mobile apps as well as the e-ID.
“Hopefully, next time we will bring an e-ID prototype because right now we only have the mobile ID.”
Meanwhile, 25-year-old Lucrezia, who recently used the system to apply for her mobile identity document, said the process was fast and user-friendly. “I had to redo it once because of a mistake, but overall, it was a good experience. The officers’ help was excellent,” she said.
She encouraged young people to embrace the system. “It is quite impressive. You don’t have to travel far — you can just sit at home and use it. It will also help our parents, who sometimes struggle with travelling costs for long distances for such services.”
Lucrezia admitted she was initially sceptical about the safety of the system, but after using it, she was convinced of its security. “You create your own unique password, which only you know. If you search for a specific document, you are only shown that document — nothing more.”
For her, the biggest benefit is the money saved. “Normally, when we want to apply for birth certificates here in Otjimbingwe, we have to travel to towns like Usakos. With this new system, travelling will no longer be necessary. The money we used to spend on transport can now be saved or used for something else.”
Yrika Martitz, the head of experimentation at UNDP Namibia’s Accelerator Lab, also said the community’s response during a two-day consultative engagement and prototype testing of the digital identification (e-ID) system was a great way to gather feedback.
“This will guide and inform policy and programme development,” she said.
Ministry of Home Affairs and UNDP plan to launch the e-ID in July 2026.