The Saudi Arabia Digital Identities has significantly contributed to a good society of necessary tools that make the process easier and more secure, especially in the wake of Vision 2030, which has made it a crucial part of it. They came in with the idea of integrating different platforms (Absher, Nafath, and the IAM portal) for the purpose of having all the identities of people in one shared place. The Saudis can use these digital IDs for multiple activities, including government apps and air travel, and they are satisfied.
The Interior Ministry, which operates Absher, issued 28 million digital IDs. Nafath, which allows people to log in to many services, has been used more than 3 billion times.
- Absher: Ministry of Interior, 2015. 28+ million digital IDs.
- Nafath: National Information Center, 2016. 3+ billion logins, 500+ services.
- National IAM: National Information Center, 2020. 60 million users target. It handles digital IDs and their issuance and authentication.
- Biometric e-Gates: Ministry of Interior, 2024. The devices located at the airport in Riyadh are used by Saudi Airlines.
Absher Portal
The Absher platform is a government-run online service infrastructure built and maintained by the Saudi Ministry of Interior. It executes and governs digital ID confirmations for citizens and residents, providing electronic copies of their hard-copy ID cards. In 2015, the Absher became an online service.
The digital ID (the term for replacing them with ID cards) ID card system of Absher started in 2015. Absher is not only your digital ID. It also offers services such as passport renewal, iqama management, and driving license renewals.
Use cases: By the end of 2024, more than 28 million digital IDs were made through Absher. The website handled about 605,000 actions daily in 2023, so it is regularly used.
Best Security: Absher is a strong and secure device in itself. One of the security traits is the multiple ways that the framework uses to confirm who you really are. Part of the security that Absher includes is the collection of biometric data and mobile-based one-time direct access codes, which protect access from misuse and illegal activity.
Interrelated System: People who use Absher can use over 500 government and private sector services through the Nafath platform with one login. So they used to do the registration, but now they are all stored on Absher as well.
The Interior Ministry has claimed that this system is very significant. Thus, it is translated as “It helps in the smooth and reliable use of digital change services and national electronic actions,” thereby showing the very imperative nature of the technology in the improvement of the services in our country.
Important Numbers (Absher):
- Started: 2015 (renamed from older portal)
- Registered users: about 28 million (Dec 2024)
- Daily actions: about 605,000 (2023)
- How to prove who you are: Absher app (fingerprint/face ID + PIN) and one-time password.
Nafath: Unified National Access (Single Sign-On)
Nafath, which stands for “Unified National Access”, is designed to bring the other services into the Absher account by offering seamless interaction, all done by the Saudi National Information Center. Nafath allows government and private applications to reuse the Absher login details. Consequently, Nafath is the authorizing system for your Absher ID at the majority of the Saudi online services.
Single Sign-On
Nafath makes it possible for Saudi citizens to utilize their Absher as a sole login across many services that demand customer information through it. In the process, it helps to share the basic information about the user and check the data to determine whether the user is a resident or citizen. As a result, it no longer requires the user to register at these websites again.
Scale & Scope
The scope of Nafath is multiplied by the fact that it integrates over 530 government and private applications (by 2024). The total number of logins reaches 3 billion by 11 November 2024. Like this, we can understand the extent of usage among people.
Security & Features
Nafath proposes multi-step technological methods to keep account logins safe. In the process, users must type in their National ID/Iqama, then, on the phone, they have to confirm it. Besides that, the Nafath app also gives users the ability to add face or fingerprint scans as an additional security feature.
Integration with Policies
Nafath facilitates the transparency of the Saudi region in some issues, e.g., by ensuring the information from IDs is genuin,e and also the discussion of using SADAD payments that require the use of trusted information provided by authorities.
How Nafath Login Works
On the platform of the Saudi Central Bank, the process is quite interesting. The users, for instance, have to enter their 10-digit National ID/Iqama, click on the Login button, and subsequently confirm on the Nafath phone app. By these means, he ensures the user has a phone and the necessary login information.
Sometimes when people try to log in, they might come across a message that reads “Nafath face verification failed” if the app did not obtain a clear image of their face. This can be due to either bad lighting or problems with the camera.
Saudi Arabia Digital Identities Management Portal (IAM)
The idea of the Saudi Arabia Digital Identities Management Portal is beneficial to regulate the general identity system. The website, known as www.iam.gov.sa, was designed by the National Information Center. It covers all aspects of digital ID (issuance, authentication, credential management). The main reason for introducing the platform is to verify the Saudi Arabia Digital Identities of about sixty million users registered in Saudi Arabia.
Key features of the portal
Identity Issuance & Registration
Citizens and residents can register themselves through the portal to get a Saudi Arabia Digital Identities, like their physical ID. The forms sometimes include registrations of new users or connecting already existing Absher accounts.
Authentication & Login
The portal enables the application of a single authentication mechanism. So, users log in to www.iam.gov.sa. First, enter your national ID and Absher details. Then, it gives the option of an additional one-time password or a QR code for adding security. Users can manage their tokens with their Absher account information.
Federation & Credential Management
The portal automatically joins the IDs of individuals from across the different services. It uses multiple factors of authentication in the process (strong biometrics and simple one-time passwords) and modifies the procedures according to every task. Moreover, users are allowed to create specific accounts for signing documents online.
Applications and Use Cases
Digital ID is what the government, money, and travel use in Saudi Arabia. They are in the following ways:
Government Services:
It almost covers and is used by all government departments. The services such as customs, police, and utilities are only accessible via Nafath/Absher login. The Nafath online application can be used by people to renew their driver’s licenses or pay fines. The Absher app helps pilgrims manage their Hajj permits.
Banking and Finance:
The national ID system is important to financial institutions that work with the rest of the government and the private sector to verify real people. AlJazira Capital operates the IAM portal that facilitates the opening of new accounts. Bank AlBilad also has the Nafath login option for the latest applications. This way, customers’ names and contact info are verified, and if they are correct.
Aviation and Borders:
Saudi airports use the national ID database to scan faces. The system’s introduction in 2024 at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, where Terminals 3 & 4 have face scanners installed, was completed. People, equipped with their Nafath identity, have an opportunity to avoid the passport check by scanning their face or finger. This, in turn, uses Nafath identity and hence makes the migration process faster and safer.
Airlines and Travel:
The digital ID system has now been put in place at the boarding planes also. These systems are then used in collaboration with Saudi Airlines. In fact, it’s only when the Nafath ID is checked that one can check in at the aircraft.
Private Sector E-Services:
Other services also use Nafath. Internet-based shops, phone companies, and health care can be connected through the login. Several apps offer a “Login with Absher/Nafath” option, providing similar functionality to the main website.
| Sector | Example Use |
| Banking & Finance | Account opening, loan processing via Nafath e-KYC |
| Government | Civil services (Absher), court filings |
| Airports & Travel | Biometric e-Gates, paperless boarding |
| Airlines | Saudi Airlines uses Nafath for passenger verification |
| Utilities & Telco | SIM registration, electricity & water accounts |
In each case, the user experience is unified: one ID, multiple services. For instance, a Saudi resident can log into a hospital portal with their Nafath account to view medical records, then use the same account to renew their driving license or start a remittance service.
Challenges and Progress
Issues with Technology
Several foreigners experience some issues while they are in the process of creating Nafath accounts. Obsolete biometric data are errors that occur during the process of these records. Users might come across messages like “Nafath face verification failed.”
- Privacy and Regulation:
- The system contains private information about people
- Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) is now the main law governing the use of data
- Every single platform must use encryption, as well as keep the audit trails
Coverage and Inclusion
Attempts are being made to broaden the range up to 15 for residents of the whole kingdom. The universal biometric register is interlinked with digital IDs. Work on inclusivity for access to devices and offline use.
Future Developments
- Mobile Driver’s Licenses: Mobile phone licenses
- eSIM Integration: Quick IDs for Pilgrimage
- Cross-Border Linkages: Plans to make Nafath IDs work with other systems
- AI and Big Data: Application of AI and Biometrics to Combat Fraud
Saudi Arabia has an e-identity system that utilizes two platforms, Nafath and Absher, for citizens and residents. It is a big win for the country’s online services industry. The system is an epitome for everyone.
