E-Seychelles’ digital governance offers a fascinating case study within the African context. Situated in the Indian Ocean, this high-income island nation stands out for its notable performance in digital government, ranking among the top six countries in Africa according to the United Nations e-Government Development Index (EGDI).
With very high levels of Telecommunication Infrastructure (TII) and Human Capital Index (HCI), e-Seychelles boasts robust technological infrastructure and a well-educated populace, which are crucial factors in driving its digital advancement. Also, it’s noteworthy that Seychelles is among the elite four African nations (alongside Mauritius, South Africa, and Tunisia) to rank within the top 100 countries globally in terms of overall EGDI ranking.
However, despite its overall strong performance, e-Seychelles faces a challenge in e-participation. Despite its high EGDI ranking, it has seen a decline in e-participation, dropping from the 95th place in 2020 to the 148th in 2022. This suggests that while the government excels in providing digital services, there’s a gap in actively engaging citizens in collaborative governance processes.
Not in its full potential
During the challenges and opportunities brought about by the pandemic, Seychelles seized the momentum to introduce innovative changes in education and public administration systems… starting – or better yet – accelerating its digital transformation.
However, despite these efforts, digital transformation in the country has not yet reached its full potential. This is largely attributed to the slow speed and high cost of internet services. Nonetheless, the government has been proactive in collaborating with telecommunication services to extend internet accessibility to more segments of the population.
When examining internet usage statistics, I find it encouraging that Seychelles has achieved a commendable internet penetration rate. With 93.6 thousand internet users at the start of 2024 (according to Datareportal), representing 86.7% of the population, it’s evident that a significant portion of the populace is connected online.
Additionally… the prevalence of cellular mobile connections, totaling 177.9 thousand in early 2024 and equivalent to 164.8% of the population, underscores the widespread access to mobile communication technologies.
However, despite these achievements, it’s worth noting that a segment of the population, comprising 14.4 thousand individuals or 13.3%, remained offline at the beginning of the year. This highlights the importance of addressing barriers to digital inclusion and ensuring that all citizens can benefit from the opportunities offered by the digital age.
A comprehensive identity database
Looking at Seychelles’ approach to identity management, I believe it stands out among many countries due to its comprehensive identity database, which enjoys widespread usage and support from the public. This robust foundation serves as a valuable asset for the development of user-friendly systems in the future.
The recent introduction of the SeyID digital identity platform by WISeKey in April 2024 marks a significant milestone in Seychelles’ digital journey. Launched in 2022, the SeyID platform aims to enhance the country’s digital government, tourism, and health initiatives, streamlining processes and improving efficiency.
And truth be told, a great majority of government services do use at least one digital system to enable their delivery…reducing reliance on paper-based processes. These systems (often database-driven applications) empower public servants to efficiently handle various applications, from building permits to customs documentation.
One of Seychelles’ key strengths lies in its Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), which serves as a solid foundation for future development initiatives. This core infrastructure provides Seychelles with a competitive advantage over other countries that lack such a robust technological backbone.
Final thoughts
Considering the insights from a recent World Bank report, it’s evident that e-Seychelles face challenges in fully embracing digitalization due to limited end-to-end processes and a lack of focus on user-centricity. This has resulted in a relatively low uptake of digital services. However, despite these challenges, Seychelles possesses a high-quality national identity register, providing a strong foundation for developing a digital identity system.
On a positive note, Seychelles boasts a high-quality national identity register, providing a strong foundation for the development of a comprehensive digital identity system. Such a system has the potential to revolutionize online transactions, making them quicker and more convenient for citizens. Moreover, it could stimulate the growth of new digital businesses by providing a secure and reliable means of identification.
Sources:
https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/152-Seychelles
https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-seychelles?rq=Seychelles
https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/290341604360934635-0090022020/original/seychellesdesigndecv4.pdf https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/DDD/ddd_SYC.pdf
