More than 8 million Rwandans have registered for the country’s new Digital ID, with over 7 million already photographed, NIDA Director General Josephine Mukesha revealed Monday, as teams pushed to complete the exercise in the Northern and Western provinces.
The update came as residents queued for hours at the Expo Grounds in Gikondo on the final day of a special catch-up registration drive for people who had missed the exercise when it rolled through their districts. Two lines formed at the NIDA stand: one for verifying and completing identity details through Irembo, and another for photographs.
Among those waiting was Jean d’Amour Ukwitegetse of Kinyinya Sector, Gasabo District, who had repeatedly put off registering because of work. “I arrived at 11 a.m., I have been in the line for about three hours,” he explained, noting that his wife and children would come to register next.
Mukesha confirmed that NIDA teams are currently wrapping up work in Gakenke, Karongi, Gicumbi, and Rutsiro districts, with Rulindo set to begin Tuesday. She is targeting more than 14 million people photographed before physical ID cards are phased out in June 2027, with the new Digital IDs themselves expected to become available from July 2027.
Delays for many residents have stemmed from incomplete identity records, particularly cases where a child’s birth was never recorded in the civil registry, or where existing records contain errors. Parents facing this issue can seek help at the sector level using a hospital birth document or vaccination card, while residents can use Irembo to check and correct details such as date of birth. Services will eventually be activated at sector offices as well, giving residents local access once the rollout reaches that stage.
For non-Rwandans, NIDA is working alongside the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration to register different categories of foreign residents, including those living in refugee camps. “Everywhere we go, the Immigration team is with us. They help in all categories, including those in refugee camps, and participation is good,” Mukesha said, encouraging eligible foreign residents who have not yet taken part to gather the documents required for their category and follow up.
The nationwide Digital ID registration exercise began in October 2025, first covering Nyanza, Huye, and Gisagara districts in the Southern Province before expanding countrywide. NIDA describes the Digital ID as an evolution of the country’s identity system, with technology replacing the physical card as the primary means of authentication and giving citizens greater control over their personal information.
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