Ethiopia has launched a national digital certificate authority service to strengthen the security and legal credibility of its Fayda digital ID system. The service, managed by the Information Network Security Administration (INSA), will enable the issuance of digital certificates to verify and authenticate individual Fayda IDs.

The platform is designed to ensure that digital identification across government and financial services meets national security standards while providing legally recognised digital proof of identity. Officials said the system allows the creation and management of secure cryptographic keys through a public key infrastructure, supporting digital signatures that safeguard identity information.

Yodahe Araya Selassie, director of the National ID Programme, said the initiative will bolster the integrity of Ethiopia’s digital ID framework and facilitate its nationwide rollout. The service is expected to enhance secure access to health, education, banking, mobile services, and social protection programmes.

The system also aims to reduce identity theft, impersonation, fraud, and the unauthorised use of personal data by providing a trusted national root certificate for digital IDs.