Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) Project

A Strategic Digital Public Infrastructure for Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy
The Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) Project is a flagship initiative of the Government of Sri Lanka, led by the Ministry of Digital Economy, to establish a robust, inclusive, and secure digital identity system as a foundational layer of the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). 
Aligned with Sri Lanka’s vision of becoming a technology-driven smart nation, SLUDI underpins the government's broader digital transformation strategy by delivering a unified, citizen-centric identity platform that enables secure, trusted, and interoperable digital interactions across public and private sectors. With strategic support from the Government of India and domestic investment, SLUDI is a critical enabler of economic modernization and inclusive digital growth. 
SLUDI as Foundational Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
In line with global DPI frameworks, comprising Digital Identity, Digital Payments, and Data Exchange layers, the SLUDI constitutes the first and most critical layer: a Unique Digital Identity system. As a trusted digital credential, the SLUDI identity enables secure and consent-based access to a wide range of services, fostering efficient governance, private sector innovation, and digital inclusion. 
The implementation of SLUDI is guided by the principles of:
  • Open standards and interoperability
  • Privacy-by-design and security-by-design
  • Modularity and scalability
  • Inclusivity and accessibility
  • Local capacity development and sustainability
By leveraging the Modular Open-Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), the system aligns with international best practices, fostering adaptability, transparency, and long-term sustainability. 
  1. Strategic Objectives 
The Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) Project is a strategic investment in national capacity, catalyzing digital transformation and sustainable economic development. As the anchor of the country's Digital Public Infrastructure, SLUDI empowers citizens, drives innovation, and positions Sri Lanka as a digital-first economy ready to compete and collaborate on the global stage. 
The SLUDI project is a foundation initiative under the Government's Digital Transformation Strategy, designed to create a "Digital Economy." The primary objective is to establish a national identity system by creating a single, authoritative source of citizen identity that eliminates duplications across government departments and provides accurate population data for effective governance and resource allocation. 
The project aims to enable digital-first service delivery by facilitating paperless, cashless, and peopleless interactions seamlessly between citizens and government institutions while supporting integration with private sector services through secure authentication mechanisms. Central to this objective is the implementation of privacy and security excellence, with the system built on privacy-by-design and security-by-design principles, ensuring full compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022 and maintaining the highest standards of data protection. 
By prioritizing inclusivity, security, and interoperability, SLUDI goes beyond identity, it becomes the gateway to digital citizenship, economic opportunity, and resilient digital governance. 
The SLUDI project is not just an identity program, it is a digital economy enabler that:
  • Streamlines identity verification for both government and private sectors, improving efficiency and reducing transaction costs.
  • Facilitates paperless, cashless, and people-less digital transactions across sectors.
  • Provides the foundation for e-Governance, e-KYC, e-Health, e-Education, digital finance, and digital commerce.
  • Enables real-time, consent-based data sharing to support smart policy-making and service delivery.
  • Builds a trust framework essential for scaling digital public and private services.
The digital identity infrastructure, by offering universal access and authentication, allows citizens to seamlessly engage in the digital economy, removing historical barriers such as lack of physical documentation, limited financial access, or regional disparities. 
Digital Identity as a Catalyst for Inclusive Economic Development
The economic implications of SLUDI are substantial. As a core component of national DPI, the platform: 
1. Enables Financial Inclusion
  • Facilitates onboarding of unbanked populations through e-KYC and remote identity verification.
  • Boosts access to digital wallets, microfinance, insurance, and credit scoring systems.
  • Empowers rural and marginalized populations to participate in the formal financial system.
2. Accelerates Digital Government Services
  • Reduces inefficiencies and duplication across ministries and departments.
  • Allows digital delivery of welfare schemes, subsidies, pensions, and health services with targeted accuracy and fraud prevention.
  • Enhances public service delivery with verified identity and trust mechanisms, minimizing leakages.
3. Drives Private Sector Innovation
  • Enables fintechs, e-commerce platforms, telcos, and other businesses to offer verified, frictionless onboarding of customers.
  • Lowers barriers to entry for startups, reducing compliance costs via digital verification and automation.
  • Spurs new digital business models in agriculture, logistics, education, and healthcare.
4. Strengthens Trust in Digital Transactions
  • Creates a privacy-respecting and secure digital identity backbone that fosters trust among users, regulators, and businesses.
  • Supports cross-border services, including digital trade, remittances, and regional data exchange.
  1. Key Components and Technologies 
The SLUDI project encompasses a comprehensive suite of interconnected systems and technologies designed to support Sri Lanka's entire population. The core identity platform is built on MOSIP, incorporating comprehensive modules for citizen pre-registration, enrollment management, unique identity generation, authentication services, partner management, and administration functions. This foundational architecture ensures scalability, reliability, and interoperability across the entire digital identity ecosystem. The project will adhere to internationally recognized global standards and best practices in digital identity management, data protection, and cybersecurity frameworks. 
The SLUDI platform utilizes microservices and staged event-driven architectures to provide enhanced scalability, fault tolerance, and seamless integration. The SLUDI incorporates advanced analytics and intelligence systems with Business Intelligence and Data Analytics capabilities that provide comprehensive monitoring of enrollment and authentication processes, key performance indicator tracking, fraud analysis, and real-time dashboards for system oversight. The entire system is protected by an enterprise security framework featuring multi-layered security architecture including advanced firewall systems, intrusion detection and prevention, SSL VPN capabilities, Hardware Security Modules (HSM), anti-DDoS protection, and comprehensive endpoint protection, all monitored through dedicated Network Operations Center (NOC), Security Operations Center (SOC), IT helpdesk, and contact center facilities that ensure 24/7 system monitoring, management, and citizen support services. The system will incorporate independent oversight and citizen redressal mechanisms in line with the Data Protection Authority’s guidelines.
 
The SLUDI ecosystem is architected to serve as a resilient DPI layer, including:
  • MOSIP-based modular architecture: Ensures flexibility and future-proof scalability.
  • Biometric Authentication (ABIS): Fingerprint, iris, and facial recognition for accurate and secure identity management.
  • Federated Authentication Layer: Enables seamless integration with Trusted Service Providers (TSPs) and User Agencies (UAs).
  • Citizen Digital Access Points: Web and mobile interfaces with multi-language support, usability features, and inclusive access mechanisms.
  • Consent-Based Data Sharing: In alignment with the Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022, empowering citizens to control their data.
  • Enterprise Security Framework: Multi-layered cybersecurity with 24/7 monitoring, ensuring DPI resilience and compliance.


SLUDI in the DPI Stack: Integration and Interoperability
 
SLUDI is envisioned to interoperate with other key DPI components including:
  • Digital Payments Platforms (e.g., LankaQR, JustPay)
  • Digital Registries (land, education, health, taxation)
  • Data Exchange Platforms enabling secure APIs for service providers
  • Unified Service Portals for integrated digital government

This stacked DPI model, centered around the digital ID, positions Sri Lanka to rapidly scale digital services and adopt emerging innovations such as:
  • Digital credentials and verifiable credentials
  • AI-enabled governance
  • Cross-border identity verification (e.g., for migrant workers or diaspora engagement)
  • Smart contracts and decentralized digital trust frameworks 
  1. Importance and Impact
 
The SLUDI project represents a transformative initiative that will fundamentally reshape how Sri Lankan citizens interact with digital services and how the government delivers public services. Citizens will experience significantly enhanced service delivery through streamlined access to government services via a single, secure digital identity, eliminating the need for multiple registrations and reducing bureaucratic processes. The system enables paperless transactions, faster service delivery, and improved convenience in accessing both public and private sector services, ultimately creating a more efficient and user-friendly interface between citizens and institutions. 
From a government perspective, the project delivers improved efficiency and effectiveness by eliminating identity duplications and establishing accurate citizen data, enabling the government to achieve better resource allocation, reduced administrative costs, and enhanced ability to design and implement targeted policies and programs. This leads to more effective governance, optimal utilization of public resources, and the ability to make data-driven decisions that benefit the entire population. The SLUDI will also support better planning and implementation of social welfare programs, healthcare initiatives, and economic development strategies. 
The economic development impact of the SLUDI project extends far beyond government services, serving as a catalyst for economic growth by enabling financial inclusion, supporting e-commerce initiatives, facilitating digital banking services, and creating opportunities for innovation in the fintech sector. The digital identity infrastructure provides the foundation for a digital economy, attracting international investment and positioning Sri Lanka as a regional hub for digital innovation. The system builds security and trust through robust security measures, privacy protection, and transparent governance frameworks, which is essential for widespread adoption and successful digital transformation. 
The project promotes social inclusion by ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their location or socio-economic status, have access to digital identity services, promoting equality and inclusion in the digital age. By implementing a world-class digital identity system, Sri Lanka positions itself as a leader in digital government, enhancing its international competitiveness and attracting recognition in the global digital economy. This comprehensive impact extends across all sectors of society, creating opportunities for innovation, improving quality of life, and establishing Sri Lanka as a model for digital transformation in the region. 
  1. Project Status and Timeline 
The SLUDI project has successfully completed two comprehensive pilot phases that commenced in 2021, providing valuable insights and validation of the system's capabilities and user acceptance. 
The production system is scheduled to go live within one year, marking the beginning of nationwide citizen registration and the official launch of Sri Lanka's comprehensive digital identity infrastructure for all citizens.
The implementation will be executed by an Indian company serving as the Master System Integrator, while long-term maintenance and operations will be managed by a local Sri Lankan company designated as the Managed Service Provider, ensuring knowledge transfer and sustainable local capacity development. This hybrid model ensures technological excellence and local ownership, vital for the sustainability of DPI
The SLUDI project follows a structured implementation approach designed to ensure systematic deployment while maintaining the highest standards of quality and security.
Currently the pre-qualification of bidders in selecting the Master System Integrator (MSI) is completed  (https://www.nisg.org/_files/ugd/ce4487_e6a800605ed4401aa530d853d39911c4.pdf). Request for Information (RFI) is completed and procurement process is in progress in selecting the Managed Service Provider (MSP) for the SLUDI project.

Project Duration: 2021-2026
Total Estimated Cost (TEC), (Rs. Mn): 14,000
Cumulative Expenditure (Rs. Mn) as at 30.09.2025: 92.19
Physical Progress as at 30.09.2025: 20%

Last updated December 04, 2025

https://www.icta.lk/projects/digital-government/sludi

Related Links

ICTA Digital Government Overview


RFP Documents from NISG
Bidding ProcedureDraft Contract https://www.icta.lk/projects/digital-government/sludi