By Atoyebi Nike
MTN South Africa has introduced a nationwide biometric identity system using facial and fingerprint recognition to verify customers and reduce telecom fraud.
The system, developed in partnership with global biometric firm Vigilate AI, follows a successful pilot in 20% of MTN stores. It now enables faster sign-ups and better fraud prevention, especially against SIM swap scams and identity theft, which cost the industry R5.3 billion in 2024, according to Comric.
MTN is the first telco in South Africa to roll out biometric ID verification at scale.
“This innovation makes onboarding faster and more secure without sacrificing convenience,” said Cornelia van Heerden, MTN SA’s Executive for Customer Operations.
Vigilate AI’s CEO, Daniel Hartwright, said the project sets a new benchmark for secure telecom onboarding in Africa.
The rollout is part of MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy to lead in digital innovation across the continent.
