In one of Africa’s most underserved markets, a transformative partnership is taking shape that promises to bridge critical gaps in both healthcare access and financial inclusion.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), home to over 120 million people, faces significant challenges in delivering essential services to its citizens – but innovative collaboration between public and private sector leaders is creating new pathways to progress.

The challenge: bridging infrastructure and access gaps
The DRC presents complex challenges that have historically limited citizens’ access to both healthcare and financial services. With over 60% of the population living in rural areas, traditional service delivery models struggle to reach those who need them most. Limited identity infrastructure creates additional barriers to accessing government services, healthcare and formal financial systems.

Only around 30% of adults have access to formal financial services, creating significant obstacles to economic participation. The country’s vast geographical area and diverse languages also make it challenging for service providers to establish comprehensive coverage.

These interconnected challenges create a cycle where limited access to identity documentation restricts participation in formal healthcare and financial systems, while the absence of these systems keeps people excluded from essential services.

The national health card initiative: a comprehensive solution
ANICNS has developed an innovative approach that tackles these challenges through a national health card system. This groundbreaking initiative combines health identification, digital identity and payment functionality into a single tool designed to transform how citizens engage with essential services.

The national health card serves as more than identification – it’s a gateway to comprehensive service access. By combining health ID capabilities with digital identity

verification and integrated payment functionality, the card creates a foundation for citizens to participate more fully in both the healthcare system and the formal economy.

The initiative follows a strategic, phased approach. The first phase targets three million cards, providing valuable insights for the broader rollout. Building on this foundation, the programme aims to enrol 20 million citizens over the next two years – representing one of the largest digital identity initiatives on the African continent.

EFT Corporation’s technology backbone
As Africa’s trusted payment solutions provider, EFT Corporation brings over 26 years of experience in developing modern, tailored payment solutions to support the ANICNS initiative. The company’s role as technology enabler includes providing the secure, scalable card issuing infrastructure that forms the digital backbone of the entire programme.

EFT Corporation’s modular technology stack supports banking-as-a-service, issuing, acquiring, switching and payment processing. This comprehensive approach ensures the system operates effectively within local and regional regulatory frameworks while maintaining security standards necessary for handling sensitive health and financial data.

Having served over 100 financial institutions across 14 African countries, EFT Corporation understands the unique challenges and opportunities in diverse African operating environments. This experience enables the company to deliver solutions specifically tailored to local conditions while maintaining international standards.

Strategic partnership framework
The initiative represents pioneering collaboration between public and private sector entities. ANICNS anchors the initiative from the public sector, providing regulatory framework, healthcare system integration and citizen engagement capabilities.

The private sector coalition brings together EFT Corporation’s technology infrastructure capabilities, Visa’s global network strength, and Infoset’s regional expertise.

Financial inclusion and economic impact
The national health card initiative addresses financial inclusion through a healthcare-centred approach that reaches citizens where they interact with public services. By issuing cards through healthcare engagement, the programme ensures that even individuals with minimal exposure to formal financial services gain access to digital identity and payment capabilities.

This approach is particularly significant as many Congolese citizens have limited interaction with traditional financial institutions but regularly engage with healthcare services. The national health card creates a bridge between essential public services and formal financial participation.

The initiative’s impact extends beyond individual cardholders to broader economic development. By providing millions with secure digital payment capabilities, the programme supports transition from cash-reliant activities to efficient, transparent digital transactions.

A foundation for generational change
The partnership between ANICNS and EFT Corporation, supported by Visa and Infoset, represents more than technological implementation – it creates a foundation for generational change in how Congolese citizens access healthcare and participate in the formal economy.

The national health card initiative’s comprehensive approach to identity, healthcare, and financial inclusion creates multiple pathways for citizen empowerment and economic development. As the programme scales to reach 20 million citizens, its impact will extend far beyond individual cardholders to include broader improvements in healthcare system efficiency, economic participation and social inclusion.