Sri Lanka to launch Digital ID by April 2026; Govt assures citizen privacy and data security

In a major push towards digital transformation, the Government of Sri Lanka announced that it will launch its national Digital ID system by April 2026, a move that it promises will revolutionize access to public services while ensuring strong data privacy and citizen protection. 

The project, implemented under the Ministry of Digital Economy, is funded by a grant of approximately LKR 10.4 billion from the Government of India. 

“This will minimise the financial burden on the Sri Lankan government,” the Ministry confirmed. 

A Shift from Plastic to Digital 

The Digital Economy Initiative envisions building an inclusive and robust digital economy by 2030, positioning Sri Lanka as a regional digital hub. A key step toward achieving this goal is the implementation of a secure and reliable digital identity system, the statement said.

For decades, Sri Lanka’s physical National Identity Card (NIC) has served as the foundation for identification and public service access. However, the global pivot toward secure and scalable digital identity solutions has prompted Sri Lanka to adopt a modern digital alternative. 

The selected platform is the Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), a globally recognised, open-source digital ID framework already in use in countries such as the Philippines, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Togo. Over 130 million people globally have received MOSIP-based IDs, the ministry said. 

Why MOSIP Was Chosen 

The Ministry said it considered three options: a locally developed system, proprietary commercial solutions, and international open-source platforms. MOSIP emerged as the most cost-effective, secure, and sovereign-friendly option, it said. 

“Building an in-house solution would be time-consuming, will be limited to the knowledge available locally, at a time when digital ID expertise and experience are readily available to be extracted from other countries and products, requiring continuous investment of public money in software development, maintenance, and long-term sustainability.” 

Proprietary platforms, while mature, came with high costs, limited flexibility, and the risk of vendor lock-in, the ministry said, adding that MOSIP gives Sri Lanka flexibility, avoids vendor lock-in, and ensures the government retains full control of citizen data. 

Unlike commercial alternatives, MOSIP’s open-source nature means it can be customised, maintained, and audited independently, making it ideal for long-term national use, it said.