Kenya and Rwanda Partner on Cross-Border Digital ID for Trade

Kenya and Rwanda have launched a mutual digital ID verification system to ease cross-border business and movement. Effective June 2024, traders can use Huduma Namba or Irembo ID to register businesses, pay taxes, and clear goods at Gatuna One-Stop Border Post. The system, developed with the World Bank, cuts registration time from 14 days to 2 hours. Over 5,000 traders are enrolled in the pilot. The initiative supports the EAC Common Market and AfCFTA digital trade protocols. Plans to include Uganda and Tanzania by 2025 are underway, creating a seamless digital corridor across the Northern Corridor.