Innovatrics deployed by Namibian postal and banking services
Information Certainty: Documented
Deployment Purpose: Surveillance, Automated Payments, Fraud Prevention
| Summary |
|---|
| Since 2006, usage of Namibias national postal service and its corresponding banking services requires biometric identification via fingerprinting. Microfin is a subsidiary of The service is explicitly targeted at those who lack other forms of formal identification, namely those in rural areas with limited access to other services, and those who are subjected to benefits from 'microfinance' initiatives. Innovatrics can be identified as the supplier of the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS). Innovatrics supply a range of other biometric solutions to states and companies. |
Products and Institutions:
| Product Deployed | Innovatrics AFIS |
|---|---|
| Institutions ⠉ | Innovatrics AFIS |
| Datasets | Innovatrics AFIS (Dataset) |
| Search software |
Status and Events:
| Status | Ongoing |
|---|---|
| Events | Start (2 January 2006, Documented, , No description) |
| Start Date | |
| End Date |
Users:
| Involved Entities | Government of Namibia Universal Postal Union |
|---|---|
| Managed by | NamPost |
| Used by | NamPost |
Location:
| City | Windhoek |
|---|---|
| Country ⠉ | Namibia |
Description[ ]
Since 2006 Namibias national post service, and its associated banking service, have used biometrics to identify patrons.
In 2006 the NPOSB introduced its innovative Smart Card, based on a biometric identification system. In 2010, NamPost entered the micro-lending business through its subsidiary, Post Fin. The Post Office therefore provides a wide range of modern financial services. It has employed a unique business model, which combines traditional postal financial services -such as domestic money transfers and bill payments – with electronic postal savings and micro-lending services targeted at the poor and rural population. 2
The NPOSB has come a long way. Although it is not a licenced financial service provider, it has been at the forefront of providing innovative, and affordable, financial products to low-income households in Namibia. In 2006, the NPOSB launched “Smart Switch Namibia”, a joint-venture between NamPost and Net 1 Universal Electronic Payment Systems (UEPS) Technologies. Smart Switch Namibia implemented and now operates a card-based switching system which makes use of biometric (fingerprint) identification technology – the first of its kind in Namibia. The system is tailored for the unbanked and under-banked population, providing an alternative payment system for people with little or no access to the formal financial system. The flagship product of the joint venture is the NamPost SmartCard 2
In recent times, Innovatrics can be identified as the supplier and developer of the automatic fingerprint identification system and bank cards.
The first part of the project has been successfully delivered and gone into production. These include duplicate checking on enrollment and in-branch transaction-based biometric authentication of clients. With the deployment of Innovatrics AFIS, the new system allows the enrollment of 10 fingerprints, online identification/deduplication, and verification. As a result, the solutions brought forth have reduced the incidence of fraud and allowed online and offline biometric POS. Another part of the innovative project is the roll-out of new devices to stakeholders over time. The POS device will match against the AFIS to authorize transactions. For offline payments, a new generation of bank cards will record balances and contain a fingerprint template for offline matching on the POS device 1