ADDIS ABABA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's digital transactions have surpassed 12.5 trillion Ethiopian birr (about 92.8 billion U.S. dollars), Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Tuesday, attributing the surge to the growing adoption of a national digital ID system.
Speaking at the opening of the ID4Africa 2025 conference in Addis Ababa, the country's capital, Abiy said the digital identity platform "Fayda" has become a cornerstone of Ethiopia's digital transformation strategy.
Digital ID is no longer optional but essential infrastructure, Abiy said, describing Fayda as key to promoting inclusion, integrity, and national development. Launched in 2024, the platform has already enrolled more than 15 million people, with a target of reaching 90 million.
The system connects all citizens, particularly women, youth, and displaced populations, to essential services, while also enabling Ethiopia to better integrate into Africa's digital economy and the African Continental Free Trade Area, according to the prime minister.
"Guided by the vision of Digital Ethiopia 2025, we made a choice to build a modern, inclusive, foundational, and scalable digital identity system accessible to every resident, regardless of location, income, or background," he said.
The four-day event, being held in Ethiopia for the first time, has drawn more than 2,000 delegates from across the globe. Organized annually in different African countries, the event serves as the continent's leading platform for advancing digital identity to support socio-economic development, digital inclusion, and humanitarian efforts.
ID4Africa is a pan-African movement committed to supporting African countries in building robust and responsible identity ecosystems. ■