Omanghana
Kenyan President William Ruto has announced a joint initiative involving Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda to develop a portable digital wallet for verifying the qualifications and work experience of Africans across national borders.
The platform, known as MasterKey, will allow users to securely obtain, store and share verified academic credentials, professional qualifications and employment records with companies, recruitment agencies and other institutions.
President Ruto unveiled the initiative on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during the Accra Reset Full Circle high-level meeting held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
MasterKey is intended to simplify the often lengthy process of verifying certificates and employment records across different countries. Participating educational institutions and employers will be able to issue authenticated records directly to an individual’s digital wallet.
Under the proposed system, users will retain control over their personal information and decide which credentials to share with specific employers or recruitment organisations.
The initiative is also expected to establish common verification standards that could improve access to remote employment, cross-border professional opportunities and jobs linked to Africa’s expanding digital economy.
Supporters of the project believe it could make it easier for young Africans to demonstrate their skills to prospective employers without repeatedly submitting physical documents or undergoing separate verification procedures in each country.
Kenya is leading the initial national rollout by integrating the digital work wallet into its eCitizen platform.
Technical teams from Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda are developing the administrative rules, data-protection safeguards and verification standards required to operate the system across participating countries.
The three countries are expected to use the pilot phase to assess the platform before considering its expansion to other African nations.
Source: Omanghana
