PRESS RELEASE
National ID Program Reestablished as State-Owned Enterprise “Faydaverse” to Anchor Nationwide Digital Public Infrastructure and Joins Ethiopian Investment Holdings Portfolio.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – August 4, 2026
Ethiopia’s National ID Program has entered a new chapter with its establishment as Faydaverse, a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) mandated to develop, operate, and scale trusted Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) solutions that support citizens, businesses, and institutions across Ethiopia and beyond.
Faydaverse will join the portfolio of Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), Ethiopia’s strategic investment arm, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the institutional foundation, governance framework, and long-term sustainability of one of the country’s most important digital transformation initiatives.
The official inauguration of Faydaverse took place on 4 August 2026, bringing together senior government officials, development partners, technology leaders, private sector representatives, and international stakeholders to recognize the evolution of Ethiopia’s National ID Program into a dedicated institution designed for innovation, scale, and sustainable impact.
The establishment of Faydaverse represents more than an institutional transition. It reflects Ethiopia’s commitment to building sustainable digital public infrastructure that enables secure digital participation, improves access to services, supports economic inclusion, and strengthens the foundation of a modern digital economy.
As a State-Owned Enterprise, Faydaverse will operate with a strengthened institutional structure that combines public purpose with operational agility and commercial sustainability. This model will enable the organization to expand its capabilities, deepen partnerships, attract investment, and continue developing digital solutions aligned with Ethiopia’s national development priorities.
Through its inclusion in the Ethiopian Investment Holdings portfolio, Faydaverse will benefit from EIH’s experience in strengthening strategic enterprises, enhancing corporate governance, supporting operational excellence, and enabling long-term value creation. The partnership provides a framework for Faydaverse to scale sustainably while continuing to deliver on its national mandate of advancing trusted and inclusive digital infrastructure.
Building on the achievements of the National ID Program, Faydaverse enters this new phase with a strong operational foundation. The Fayda Digital ID ecosystem is reaching 50 million residents, enabled over 150 enterprise eKYC integrations, facilitated 190 million secure authentications, deployed 12,000 registration kits, and issued more than 15 million digital identity credentials.
These achievements position Faydaverse to further expand Ethiopia’s digital public infrastructure ecosystem through secure, interoperable, and citizen-centered solutions, including:
- Biometric digital identity platforms built on the principle of “one person, one identity”;
- Electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) and Single Sign-On (SSO) services enabling trusted digital access;
- Trusted Digital credential wallets that empower users while protecting privacy;
- Digital Public Infrastructure solutions integrating identity, payments, and consent-based data sharing; and
- Advisory, research, and implementation services supporting institutions advancing digital transformation.
The establishment of Faydaverse also strengthens Ethiopia’s role in the global digital transformation landscape. Leveraging the country’s experience in implementing large-scale digital identity infrastructure, Faydaverse is positioned to support knowledge exchange, technical partnerships, and digital public infrastructure initiatives across Africa.
Through collaboration with governments, institutions, and technology partners, Faydaverse aims to contribute to the development of sovereign, secure, and inclusive digital ecosystems aligned with continental priorities, including Smart Africa and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Commenting on the establishment of Faydaverse, CEO said:
“From its early days as an ID pilot project, Fayda made bold decisions that made it an international benchmark for DPI such as its inclusive approach for digital ID and prioritizing authentication when registration numbers were still at their infancy. Today, when officially marking FaydaVerse as a DPI enterprise under EIH, you can see that those ambitious, bold yet impactful early beginnings are still with us.”
Commenting on Faydaverse joining the EIH portfolio, EIH CEO Dr Brook Taye said:
“Digital public infrastructure is becoming a fundamental driver of economic growth, financial inclusion, and efficient service delivery. The establishment of Faydaverse as a State-Owned Enterprise and its inclusion in the Ethiopian Investment Holdings portfolio represent an important step in strengthening one of Ethiopia’s most strategic digital assets. Through EIH’s governance framework, investment expertise, and portfolio support, Faydaverse will be positioned to scale sustainably, attract partnerships, and create long-term value for Ethiopia.”
The establishment of Faydaverse as a State-Owned Enterprise marks a defining moment in Ethiopia’s digital transformation journey. By combining technological innovation, institutional strength, and strategic investment support, Faydaverse will continue building the trusted digital infrastructure required to enable inclusive growth, economic opportunity, and a connected future.
For media inquiries:
info@eih.et
info@fayda.et