Digital IDs to debut next quarter

Sri Lanka is preparing to issue its first production digital identities next quarter, beginning a phased rollout of the country’s Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) platform.

The rollout marks the latest milestone for a project that has experienced procurement and funding delays, pushing initial deployment beyond earlier government targets.

The initial rollout is expected to focus on one segment of users, with credentials carrying an integrated SL-UDI number that can be used to verify identity for banking, SIM registration, education and government digital services.

Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne told Biometric Update the government will begin with a minimum viable product, expanding gradually through pilot deployments before broader national issuance.

Alongside the electronic ID card, the government is developing an e-Locker mobile application that will allow citizens to store and present digital credentials through QR codes.

Chief Advisor to the President Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said nationwide coverage should take two to three years, but argued that enrollment alone will not define success. “The real definition of success would lie in the active use of the SL-UDI in daily life,” he told Biometric Update.

He said active use by roughly 30 percent of the population would represent the critical mass needed to trigger broader digital transformation, provided government and private-sector services evolve alongside the identity platform.

The MOSIP-based project will utilize a hybrid model, combining an Indian Master System Integrator (MSI) with a Sri Lankan Managed Service Provider.

The Indian government is selecting the MSI, with TCS, Infosys and Protean among the companies under evaluation. However, bids have exceeded the approximately US$35 million value of India’s grant, and discussions continue.

Wijayasuriya said widespread adoption would depend on both government and private-sector services transitioning to paperless, presence-less and cashless transactions supported by SL-UDI, the National Data Exchange and other digital public infrastructure. (Biometric Update)