Iris Recognition for National ID: IriTech’s Global Projects in 2026

From East African national ID rollouts to WFP humanitarian aid distribution and US law enforcement – IriTech’s iris scanner – the most advanced biometric technology, is powering some of the world’s most critical identity infrastructure.

33M+ CITIZENS ENROLLED

#1 NIST IREX RANKING

5,665 KITS IN UGANDA

20+ COUNTRIES & SECTORS

Uganda National ID: Ndaga Muntu

Uganda’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has launched one of the most ambitious digital identity initiatives in East Africa. Widely known as Ndaga Muntu, the project serves as the core platform for managing public services, enhancing national security, and promoting financial inclusion – targeting data processing for over 33 million citizens ahead of the 2026 general elections.

 

The Challenge

After more than a decade of implementation, Uganda’s legacy biometric system showed critical gaps. Over 1 million citizens including elderly people and manual laborers – could not be enrolled because their fingerprints were too worn or scarred to read. Additionally, approximately 200,000 duplicate registrations had gone undetected, threatening the integrity of the electoral roll.

 

IriTech’s Solution

NIRA deployed 5,665 next-generation Biometric Registration Kits, each powered by IriTech’s IriShield BK binocular iris scanner. This was not a default choice, it was a decision grounded in rigorous field performance standards and international certifications.

Why IriShield BK? •       #1 NIST IREX Ranking – the world’s most accurate iris matching algorithm, independently verified by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology •       STQC & BIS Certified – meeting mandatory standards for government-grade biometric deployments •       MOSIP L0 Compliant – fully interoperable with the open-source identity platform used by multiple governments •       On-board processing – biometric templates are extracted on the device; raw data never leaves unencrypted •       Advanced liveness detection – distinguishes live irises from photos or patterned contact lenses •       Field-rugged design – operates reliably in remote rural Uganda, with poor lighting and harsh conditions

Key Outcomes

• ~200,000 duplicate registrations identified and removed – a breakthrough impossible with fingerprints alone
• Over 1 million previously unregistered citizens – elderly and manual workers – successfully enrolled
• Strengthened national electoral integrity ahead of the 2026 general elections
• Demonstrated that iris recognition is now a mandatory standard for inclusive, modern national ID systems

Madagascar – National Digital ID (PRODIGY)

 

Country	Madagascar
System Integrator	Laxton
Program	PRODIGY – Digital Governance & Identification Management System Project
Funder	World Bank ($143M initiative)
Status	Active – Pilot launched January 2026, nationwide rollout ongoing
Technology	IriShield iris scanner integrated in Laxton Biometric Registration Kits
Target	12+ million citizens (Phase 1: 2M enrollments by mid-2026)

Madagascar’s PRODIGY initiative is one of Africa’s most significant digital transformation programs, backed by $143 million in World Bank funding and designed to run through 2026. The program’s primary goal is to issue a foundational national digital ID combining face, fingerprint, and iris biometrics to every eligible citizen aged 18 and above, creating a Unique Identification Number to access public and private services.

 

 

IriTech’s iris scanner is embedded in the Biometric Registration Kits supplied by system integrator Laxton, which secured the biometric enrollment equipment contract (valued at approximately €12.2 million). A government pilot was launched in January 2026, testing the system infrastructure with officials before the full nationwide rollout began. The choice of multimodal biometrics including iris was explicitly stated by Madagascar’s Ministry of Digital Development as a measure to prevent fraud and ensure that no individual receives more than one identity credential.

 

 

Project Highlights •       Iris, face, and fingerprint collected at enrollment – a multimodal approach for maximum fraud prevention •       Laxton’s field-rugged kits operate online and offline, across Madagascar’s 23 regions including remote areas •       PRODIGY also targets birth registration, so every Malagasy citizen receives a digital identity from birth •       System integrated with government ministries and public services via a national interoperability platform

Ethiopia – Fayda National Digital ID

Country	Ethiopia
System Integrator	BioRugged
Program	Fayda – National ID Program (NIDP), MOSIP-based
Authority	National ID Program Office (NIDP), under Prime Minister’s Office
Status	Active – Scaling to 90 million residents by 2030
Technology	IriShield iris scanner in BioRugged Mark 5 enrollment kits
Target	90 million residents enrolled by 2030

Ethiopia’s Fayda ID is the country’s foundational national digital identity system – a 12-digit unique identifier issued to every resident under the ‘one person, one identity’ principle, established by Proclamation 1284/2023. Built on the MOSIP open-source identity platform, Fayda collects fingerprint, facial photo, and iris biometrics to prevent duplication and ensure absolute identification accuracy. The system is deeply integrated with Ethiopia’s banking sector, healthcare, education, and government e-services.

IriTech’s iris scanner is integrated into BioRugged’s Mark 5 enrollment kit – a MOSIP-certified, laptop-based biometric registration platform deployed in partnership with Lamino Engineering PLC under the Ethiopian Bankers’ Association (EBA). BioRugged’s modular design philosophy aligns directly with Ethiopia’s approach: deploying desktop units in urban centers first to refine the enrollment software, before scaling to rural mobile kits reducing the risk and cost of repeated rural registration campaigns.

 

Project Highlights •       MOSIP-based platform ensures open, interoperable identity infrastructure without vendor lock-in •       Iris biometrics added as a third modality alongside fingerprint and face which is critical for deduplication at 90M scale •       Mobile registration units deployed to rural and hard-to-reach areas to ensure no resident is excluded •       Banking sector integration: Fayda ID linked to tax IDs, bank accounts, and financial services for financial inclusion

 

Philippines – PhilSys National ID

Country	Philippines
System Integrator	Thales
Program	PhilSys – Philippine Identification System
Authority	Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
Status	Active – 88M+ Digital National IDs issued as of July 2025
Technology	IriShield BK iris scanner integrated in Thales enrollment kits
Target	All 106M+ Filipino citizens and permanent residents

 

 

The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), established by Republic Act No. 11055, is one of Southeast Asia’s largest national digital identity programs targeting enrollment of all 106 million Filipino citizens and permanent residents. By July 2025, over 88 million Digital National IDs had already been made available, a landmark milestone for digital inclusion in the region.

IriTech’s IriShield BK iris scanner is integrated into the biometric enrollment kits deployed by system integrator Thales, one of the world’s foremost identity technology companies. During Step 2 registration the in-person biometric capture phase, iris scans are collected alongside a full set of fingerprints and a front-facing photograph. The iris biometric is central to PhilSys’s ability to prevent duplicate registrations and ensure each citizen has one unique, verifiable identity for life.

The PhilID has no expiration date for Filipino citizens, functioning as a lifetime credential. It is now accepted across national government agencies, local government units, and the private sector, and is integrated with digital platforms including GCash, HelloMoney, and the eGovPH app for mobile identity verification.

 

Project Highlights •       88M+ Digital National IDs issued as of July 2025 – one of Asia’s fastest national ID rollouts •       IriShield BK’s proven large-scale accuracy is critical for a 106M-person deduplication database •       PhilID accepted for banking, transportation discounts, civil registry transactions, and digital KYC •       Lifetime credential – the iris biometric ensures the ID remains valid and secure without expiration •       Integrated with eGovPH app and PSAHelpline for fully digital identity verification and service access

Oruchinga, Uganda – WFP Food Distribution

Region	East Africa – Uganda
Partner	World Food Programme (WFP)
Status	Live · Deployed 2022
Technology	Iris biometric verification at distribution points

The World Food Programme deployed IriTech’s iris biometric system to verify refugee identities at food distribution points in Oruchinga settlement. By replacing manual registration lists with iris authentication, the system eliminates ghost beneficiaries, ensures aid reaches only entitled refugees, and delivers unprecedented accountability and transparency in humanitarian food distribution operations.

 

India Aadhaar – Digital ID for 1.4 Billion

Region	South Asia – India
Partner	UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India)
Status	Active · Since 2010
Technology	IriTech iris scanners, STQC-certified software

IriTech’s iris scanners and STQC-certified iris recognition software are integrated into the world’s largest biometric identity program – India’s Aadhaar system. The technology enables iris enrollment and authentication for hundreds of millions of residents, supporting access to government welfare, banking services, healthcare, and financial inclusion for citizens across India.

 

 

Why IriTech Iris Scanner’s Algorithm Leads the World

At the core of every deployment is IriTech’s proprietary iris recognition algorithm — consistently ranked #1 by NIST IREX (the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Iris Exchange benchmark), the independent gold standard for iris biometric evaluation worldwide.

This is not a marketing claim. It is independently verified accuracy at population scale. Whether enrolling 33 million Ugandan citizens, authenticating a single hospital patient, or running field identification for law enforcement, the same world-class matching engine powers the result.

 

#1 NIST IREX

STQC CERTIFIED

MOSIP COMPLIANT

BIS CERTIFIED

 

Algorithm Technical Advantages •       Ultra-low false acceptance rate – virtually eliminates unauthorized access at population scale •       Stable biometric – the iris is formed by the 10th month of gestation and remains unchanged for life •       Inclusive by design – unaffected by age, occupation, or skin condition unlike fingerprints •       On-device processing – template extraction happens on the scanner hardware, never as raw data in transit •       Liveness detection – immune to spoofing via photographs or patterned contact lenses •       MOSIP compatible – integrates with open-source government identity platforms without vendor lock-in

Building the Identity Infrastructure of Tomorrow

The breadth of IriTech’s project portfolio reflects a singular reality: iris recognition is no longer an optional add-on for high-security applications. It has become a foundational layer of modern, inclusive, and secure identity infrastructure.

IriTech continues to invest in advancing its core algorithm, expanding its hardware ecosystem, and partnering with governments and institutions who share a commitment to getting identity for every citizen, in every condition.