Uganda faces national ID data privacy and technical issues

Uganda is facing significant challenges regarding its national identification system, involving both data privacy concerns and technical failures. The Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO) has noted a massive gap in regulatory compliance, reporting that while only approximately 14,000 organizations are registered to handle personal information, over 500,000 entities are currently processing data without legal oversight.

Simultaneously, lawmakers in Parliament have demanded accountability from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) due to malfunctioning QR codes on new national ID cards. Citizens have reported being unable to authenticate their identities when attempting to access essential services, such as opening bank accounts or purchasing SIM cards.

Despite previous assurances that the QR code integration would be completed by March, the issue persists. This technical failure has resulted in citizens being charged an additional fee of 5,000 Ugandan Shillings for manual verification letters. These issues arise as the government prepares to expand its nationwide identity registration and renewal process to reach millions of citizens.