The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has terminated its ambitious $1.2 billion biometric national ID project due to serious allegations of financial misconduct. This decision follows an in-depth investigation which revealed that funds earmarked for the national ID system were misappropriated, benefiting a small group of elite individuals rather than the intended public.
The investigation uncovered that, since 2020, nearly 60 companies had submitted proposals to the government for implementing the biometric ID system. The National Office for Population Identification (ONIP) had initially estimated the cost of the project at approximately $360 million. However, when the project was awarded to a consortium led by the biometrics firm Idemia and its local partner Afritech, the estimated cost surged dramatically to $1.2 billion—over three times the original projection.
The report raised serious concerns about “excessive pricing” in the proposal submitted by Idemia and Afritech, suggesting that the contract could potentially evolve into a major financial scam.
The World Bank had previously been approached by the DRC’s Ministry of Finance for funding but declined to provide support, citing the lack of a competitive tendering process as a key reason.
The DRC has faced longstanding challenges with its national ID system. The last significant issuance of identity cards occurred between 1984 and 1987, transitioning to plastic cards. However, this effort was never fully realized, leaving the country without a reliable national ID system. Consequently, many citizens have struggled with essential tasks such as opening bank accounts, obtaining official documents, or registering to vote. In the absence of a robust national ID system, many have relied on temporary plastic-covered cards with photos and QR codes issued at special centers, as they lack other forms of official identification, such as passports or driver’s licenses.
