Championing digital identity

In an increasingly digital world, digital identity technologies enable secure interactions between individuals and their governments, allowing for more efficient identity authentication and easier access to services.

But for people to adopt digital ID, they must not only be aware of the technologies available to them, but also able to see how they might benefit from them.

By calling on the talent of students across the continent, the Upanzi Network is working to make digital ID accessible and unlock its full potential in Africa. University students are well-equipped with both the technical knowledge needed to work with meaningful digital ID use cases and the drive to identify where and how digital ID can be an asset for their communities.

The Upanzi Network hosted an inaugural series of regional digital ID hackathons, drawing student participants from more than 20 countries, that culminated in a final showcase at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of ID4Africa. That initiative took a first step towards bringing together and growing an emerging community of digital ID thinkers and leaders.

To build on the momentum of the hackathon, the Upanzi Network saw the need for a long-term pathway for students to apply what they had learned.

"We observed a gap in the ecosystem: while the hackathon was developed to catalyze local talent, there wasn't a long-term mechanism to channel their enthusiasm into action," explained Andrew Musoke, senior research engineer at the Upanzi Network and organizing lead for the digital ID hackathon.

Acknowledging the need to sustain momentum for students involved in digital ID initiatives, and inspired by the success of similar programs like ID4Africa's Ambassador Program, the Upanzi Network is launching a Digital ID Champions program, with an inaugural cohort to start in 2026.

"This program is designed to build continuity, nurture loyalty, and provide a voice for the youth driving Africa's digital transformation," said Musoke.

The champions, which can be students or early career professionals, will spread awareness about and promote digital identity technologies in their home countries, at their universities, or in professional settings.

The program will allow the Upanzi Network to sustain local investment in the countries and universities it has already collaborated with—through the presence of champions driving continued engagement with digital identity in their communities—while focusing its efforts on reaching underserved areas and new regions.

"The champions will lead grassroots initiatives—such as digital ID clubs, webinars, campus events, and mini-hackathons—to keep the conversation and momentum alive between main hackathon cycles," Musoke said. "They'll achieve more from within their communities than we ever could from our offices in Kigali."

Similar to the preparation provided for the hackathons, champions will be given a robust training curriculum on digital ID. They'll complete capstone projects demonstrating their expertise and can receive digital ID-related certifications upon completion of the program.

Not only will champions become equipped with the tools required to act on the needs they identify in their environments, but they'll also become a part of a greater, sustainable digital ID community. Early career professional champions will serve as mentors to student champions, and champions will share their knowledge at future hackathons and digital ID initiatives.

"Beyond technical capacity, we hope the program fosters a sense of identity, pride, and belonging among past, present, and future participants, creating a loyal network of homegrown digital ID champions," said Musoke.

While most of the initial recruitment will draw on standout participants from the first edition of the hackathon, the program has also opened applications for individuals with demonstrated passion for advancing digital technologies for societal good.

"A Digital ID Champion is someone who takes initiative, stays engaged, and contributes meaningfully to the growth of digital identity efforts in their community. They care about building systems that work for people, and they're willing to put in the time to learn, share, and support others," said Musoke. "Being part of this network means working with peers to solve real challenges, helping keep momentum alive between hackathons, and making sure local voices shape the future of digital ID."

If you're passionate about digital ID, innovation, and community, the Upanzi Network invites you to express your interest in joining the champions program.