The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will support the government of Lesotho in developing an integrated national digital identity ecosystem, marking a significant step toward modernising the country’s identification and civil registration systems.
The initiative forms part of the 2026 Action Plan contained in the Lesotho–UNICEF Programme of Cooperation 2025–2028, according to a government announcement released this week.
The agreement was formally signed by the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI) and the UNICEF country office for Lesotho.
Principal Secretary (PS) Kanono Ramashamole signed on behalf of MICSTI, while UNICEF Representative Deepak Bhaskaran signed for the agency. The signing was witnessed by Director-General of ICT Thapeli Tjabane and UNICEF Technology for Development Specialist Ramoletane Lekhanya.
“The Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI) and UNICEF have signed the 2026 Annual Work Plan under the Lesotho–UNICEF Programme of Cooperation 2025–2028 to advance Lesotho’s digital identity and civil registration systems,” the government said in a statement.
The work plan supports the development of an integrated national digital identity ecosystem designed to improve a range of essential services for Basotho.
“It will improve services such as national ID and passport renewal, biometric registration, proof-of-life verification and updating of expired identity documents,” the statement read.
Beyond identity documents, the system will strengthen verification for financial services, enabling more secure transactions and contributing to better monitoring of financial flows.
“It also strengthens identity verification for financial services and contributes to improved monitoring of financial flows and prevention of fraud and money laundering,” the government added.
The initiative is aligned with the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) II and the National Social Protection Strategy II. It will continue the deployment of digital public infrastructure based on the Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP).
MOSIP is an open-source platform that enables countries to build their own digital identity systems without relying on proprietary vendors. It has been described as the go-to platform for building digital public infrastructure ecosystems, particularly in the Global South.
The system will enable secure authentication across government and private-sector services, including mobile-based verification, making it easier for citizens to access services remotely.
Lesotho is a member of the 50-in-5 campaign, an initiative that seeks to help countries of the Global South build secure, inclusive and interoperable digital public infrastructure by 2028. The campaign aims to support 50 countries in five years to develop digital identity systems that can drive development and service delivery.
UNICEF plays a major role globally in facilitating access to legal and digital identity. As co-chair of the UN Legal Identity Agenda Task Force, the agency supports initiatives particularly in Africa, where many countries are behind schedule in meeting Sustainable Development Goal target 16.9.
SDG 16.9 aims to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030. For many African nations, including Lesotho, achieving this target requires significant investment in modernising civil registration systems and linking them to digital identity platforms.
The partnership represents a coordinated effort to build foundational digital infrastructure that can support multiple development goals. By creating a robust digital identity ecosystem, Lesotho aims to improve service delivery, enhance financial inclusion, strengthen social protection programmes, and combat fraud.
The system’s interoperability means that once fully deployed, Basotho citizens could potentially access government services, financial services, and social protection programmes using a single digital identity, verified securely through mobile devices.
The work plan signed by MICSTI and UNICEF sets the framework for implementation throughout 2026, with the broader programme of cooperation extending through 2028.
Summary
- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will support the government of Lesotho in developing an integrated national digital identity ecosystem, marking a significant step toward modernising the country’s identification and civil registration systems.
- “The Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI) and UNICEF have signed the 2026 Annual Work Plan under the Lesotho–UNICEF Programme of Cooperation 2025–2028 to advance Lesotho’s digital identity and civil registration systems,” the government said in a statement.
- Lesotho is a member of the 50-in-5 campaign, an initiative that seeks to help countries of the Global South build secure, inclusive and interoperable digital public infrastructure by 2028.
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