The Somaliland National Electoral Commission (SLNEC) made a significant appearance at the ID4Africa 2025 Annual General Meeting in Addis Ababa Tuesday, 20th March, as global leaders to explore the future of digital identity and electoral technology. The conference, opened by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, runs from May 20-23 and has drawn thousands of stakeholders under the theme “Digital Identity at Scale: Prioritizing Use, Accelerating Impact.”
Led by Commissioner Hussein Abdi, the SLNEC delegation is focusing on cutting-edge technologies like IRIS recognition to enhance Somaliland’s electoral processes. This aligns with Somaliland’s pioneering history in biometric voting systems—having conducted the world’s first iris-based voter registration for its 2017 presidential election, as reported by Iris ID. That election achieved an 80 percent turnout, setting a benchmark for secure and inclusive voting in Africa.
The ID4Africa 2025 conference, hosted in Ethiopia’s capital, is a landmark event for the continent’s digital transformation. Ethiopia is showcasing its Fayda digital ID system, which, according to the World Bank, is revolutionizing access to services by empowering marginalized groups, including over a million refugees, to access healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. However, challenges remain, as a 2019 UNECA survey highlighted persistent digital inclusivity gaps across Africa, with cybersecurity threats and AI-driven disparities posing risks to equitable progress.
SLNEC’s participation underscores Somaliland’s ambition to remain a regional leader in electoral innovation. “Engaging with Africa’s digital ID transformation at #ID4Africa2025 is a vital step for Somaliland as we prepare for future-ready elections,” SLNEC posted on X, emphasizing their commitment to leveraging technology for transparent and efficient voting systems.
The conference also addressed broader continental goals, such as the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2030, which aims to bolster digital infrastructure and interoperability across member states. Yet, discussions revealed hurdles, including a cyberattack on ID4Africa’s systems just a day before the event, underscoring the urgency of robust cybersecurity measures.
As the event continues through May 23, Somaliland’s NEC is poised to bring back insights that could further solidify its role as a trailblazer in Africa’s digital electoral landscape, potentially influencing other nations to adopt similar technologies.