Daon Provides Biometric Authentication for African Blockchain Identity Platform

An African identity start-up is teaming up with Daon to raise inclusion on the continent. Gateway ID Africa is hoping to launch its blockchain-based identity platform in the latter stages of 2022, before expanding to additional countries in the Sub-Saharan region in 2023.

Daon’s biometric technology, meanwhile, will be used for identity verification. On that front, Gateway ID Africa noted that many people in Africa do not have a physical identity document, and therefore do not have a convenient way to prove their identity in situations in which it is required. That makes it more difficult to participate in the economy, or to gain access to public services like education and healthcare.

Gateway ID Africa is designed to solve that problem, insofar as it will provide people with a single, recognizable ID that can be used for proof of identity with a range of private and public stakeholders. The free platform is based on self-sovereign identity principles, and can therefore be used for identity verification even in the absence of an official government document.

According to Gateway ID Africa, its platform will open professional and social opportunities for users, and give them a way to build up a better reputation and unlock more opportunities over time. The company is hoping to provide identity services that are not tied to any one country, document, or device, and that can function in places with poor internet connectivity.  

For its part, Daon will act as an exclusive partner, and is backing Gateway ID Africa with a formal investment. The company’s biometric technology will enable secure authentication once an identity profile has been created.

“The breadth and flexibility of Daon’s technology, combined with their team’s biometric expertise and commitment to this initiative, will enable us to achieve the significant scale we have envisaged,” said Gateway ID Africa Co-founder and CEO Rob Philpott.

“Daon is proud to invest in a very experienced executive team with a significant track record in Africa and beyond,” added Daon CEO Tom Grissen. “Inclusion and accessibility are fundamental founding principles of Daon and they align very well with Gateway ID Africa’s vision.”

Daon’s IdentityX Platform is already being used to conduct 250 million authentication events on a daily basis. The company previously partnered with GEMADEC and Union Systems Limited to raise the profile of IdentityX in the African market.  

–

June 10, 2022 – by Eric Weiss