Burundi has officially unveiled a new digital civil registration platform and biometric national identity card system, in what authorities describe as a major step toward modernizing public administration and easing regional mobility for citizens.
During a presentation held on May 6, 2026, the Ministry of the Interior introduced the digital platform that will underpin the country’s new civil status system and the production of biometric national identity cards.
Officials said every Burundian citizen will be required to undergo a fresh registration process to obtain the new card, including the submission of complete personal information. Authorities clarified that possession of the old paper identity card will not be required for enrollment.
Valentin Nahimana, Director General in charge of the Territorial Administration Program at Burundi’s Ministry of the Interior, said the country is now technically prepared to begin production of the biometric cards.
“The biometric national identity card that every Burundian will have will notably allow them to travel more easily in the countries of the East African Community,” Nahimana said during the presentation.
“As of today, we are technically ready to produce the cards. However, we are awaiting the adoption of the law governing their use,” he added.
The project is estimated to cost about 15 billion Burundian francs (BIF), according to Nahimana. He also noted that Burundi first adopted legislation on the protection of personal data before developing the software platform in order to align the system with international standards.
The rollout marks one of Burundi’s most ambitious digital governance reforms in recent years and could significantly transform how citizens access government services, financial systems, telecommunications registration, and travel documentation.
Burundi has historically relied on paper-based national identity cards, making it one of the last countries in the East African region without a fully operational biometric ID framework. Regional neighbors including Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda already operate biometric or digital identity systems integrated into public services and border management.
The new IDs are expected to support deeper integration within the East African Community, whose member states have been pursuing harmonized digital identification and cross-border mobility systems.
The initiative also follows Burundi’s adoption earlier this year of a legal framework on personal data protection, seen as a prerequisite for handling biometric information and digitized civil records. Digital governance analysts say such safeguards are increasingly important as African governments expand electronic identity systems and online public services.
Burundi previously attempted to introduce machine-readable identity cards under regional integration programs more than a decade ago, but implementation stalled due to financial, technical and administrative challenges.
Authorities have not yet announced an official nationwide issuance calendar, but the latest presentation suggests the technical infrastructure for production is now in place pending parliamentary approval of the legal framework governing the biometric cards.
