KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Government intends to complete and launch phase one of the National Identification System (NIDS) enrolment and issuance of national identification cards during the 2024/25 financial year.

This will be done through a $1.3-billion allocation for the National Identification for Economic Growth project.

Details are outlined in the 2024/25 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke, recently.

Other anticipated targets for the upcoming fiscal year include launching the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) eWallet and digital birth certificate; commencing the modification and upgrade of 11 post offices as enrolment sites; and completing the framework and infrastructure to facilitate the variation and authentication of identity information by accredited third parties.

Additionally, the digitisation of the RGD civil records will continue as well as completion of the framework for the RGD’s transition to the National Identification and Registration Authority.

The NIDS communication strategy will also continue during the 2024/25 fiscal year.

Implementation of the National Identification for Economic Growth project is being undertaken by the Office of the Prime Minister through funding from the Government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It is slated to end in February 2026.

Some of the achievements of the project up to December 2023 include enactment of the National Identification and Registration Act (NIRA) and the completion of the NIRA regulations; conclusion of the pilot enrolment exercise for the NIDS; and onboarding of deposit-taking institutions.

Work also continued on the upgrading of the eGov data centre, digitisation of RGD’s civil records, and execution of the NIDS communication strategy.

Additionally, the RGD eWallet and digital birth certificate applications and the architectural and engineering design for 23 post offices were completed.

NIDS, an electronic form of identification, will provide a comprehensive and secure database for capturing and storing the personal information of citizens and non-nationals ordinarily residing in Jamaica.

-JIS