BEGINNING in July 2026, citizens in Papua New Guinea are expected to be able to claim their electronic National ID (eNID) through SevisWallet, as part of the government's broader digital identity rollout. The initiative is designed to let people securely receive and use their digital identity from a mobile device instead of relying solely on a physical ID.
The Acting Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Peter Tsiamalili Jr, MP, and the Minister for Administrative Services, Richard Masere, MP, today announced that their respective ministries are working together to streamline efforts to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s digital identity ecosystem.
Through this collaboration, the Civil Registry will facilitate a secure, citizen-consent based integration between the National Identification Database and SevisWallet. This will enable citizens whose records are held within the NID database, currently numbering approximately 4.2 million, to claim their NID in digital form as an eNID Verifiable Credential.
The Ministers confirmed that the eNID Verifiable Credential will be available through SevisWallet from 21 July 2026.
They emphasized that citizen consent is central to the design and implementation of this integration. Identity information will not be transferred or used without the consent of the
citizen and this is consistent with both the Civil Identity and Registry Act and the Digital Government Act. The SevisWallet App will provide citizens with a secure and convenient way to claim, store and use their eNID Credential in digital form.
Once available, citizens will be able to store their eNID Verifiable Credential in SevisWallet alongside other trusted digital credentials, including SevisPass and Police Clearance Certificates. Citizens who claim their eNID Credential will also be able to upgrade their SevisPass to Tier 2, enabling access to more digital services, including financial services and other regulated services requiring stronger identity verification.
Minister Tsiamalili Jr said the initiative is an important step in building Papua New Guinea’s national trust infrastructure.
“SevisWallet will allow citizens to carry trusted digital credentials in a secure, consent-based and convenient way. This will reduce reliance on physical documents, improve access to services, and support stronger participation in the digital economy.”
Minister Masere said the Civil Registry remains the custodian of civil identity records and will continue to safeguard the integrity of the NID database.
“By enabling citizens to claim their NID in digital form through SevisWallet, we are improving service delivery while maintaining the authority and integrity of the Civil Registry.”
The ministers further confirmed that the next step will be to utilise eNID and SevisWallet to support the update of the Electoral Roll, in close consultation with the Electoral Commission and relevant authorities.
The Government encourages citizens to start downloading the SevisWallet App in advance, now available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, in preparation for the eNID Verifiable Credential becoming available from 21 July 2026.
Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Peter Tsiamalili Jr, announced the USD $120 million Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative last week.
This is a major bilateral infrastructure program under the Pukpuk Treaty that will deliver three new submarine cables to Papua New Guinea.
The new subsea systems will provide high-capacity connectivity to the Northern part of Papua New Guinea, Southern part of Papua New Guinea and The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, to create a more resilient, multi-route digital backbone for the nation.
Importantly, the minister highlighted that the initiative carries no cost implications to the State, with the full investment being delivered through Australia’s commitments under the Pukpuk Treaty. This ensures that Papua New Guinea receives world-class connectivity infrastructure without drawing on the national budget.
Mr Tsiamalili emphasized that the initiative is a direct implementation of the Pukpuk Treaty, reflecting the shared commitment of Papua New Guinea and Australia to strengthen digital security, regional stability, and national development.
As part of progressing the initiative, Minister Tsiamalili — together with the Australian High Commissioner to PNG HE Ewen McDonald and the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Ann Marie Yastishock — held a high-level engagement earlier this morning with Google Sydney.
The discussions focused on Google’s role as a partner for the submarine cable rollout. Google is a global leader in subsea cable development, and will be laying a cable systems throughout the Indo-Pacific.
The Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative will; Establish three new international-grade subsea routes, reducing reliance on single points of failure, expand access to underserved regions, including Bougainville, improve the stability and quality of national telecommunications and attract investment for hyper-scalers to deploy in PNG.
Mr Tsiamalili stated that the initiative is a defining moment in PNG’s digital development.
“This investment is a major step forward for Papua New Guinea. The Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative lays the foundation for our country’s long-term digital growth and positions PNG to be a regional digital anchor.”
