Identity Matters: Here’s How UAE-Based Uqudo Is Pioneering A Shift In Digital Identity Verification Processes Across MENA

Identity Matters: Here’s How UAE-Based Uqudo Is Pioneering A Shift In Digital Identity Verification Processes Across MENA

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In December 2022, the Sultanate of Oman created history by becoming the first Arab nation to hold a fully digital municipal election. The country's Ministry of Interior later revealed that a total of 288,469 voters had made this possible by casting online votes. But at the heart of ensuring the success of this one-of-a-kind electoral process was a three-year-old startup: Uqudo, a UAE-based digital identity verification platform.

"The entire voting process was digitized, from voter registration to selecting representatives," Mohamed Fagiri, founder and CEO of Uqudo, says. "Citizens could cast their votes electronically, without having to leave their homes or offices to go to physical polling stations, which often have long queues. Voting electronically made the process more convenient and faster as they were able to enroll, register, and vote in under three minutes. It also reduced the chances of errors and ensured that the results were more accurate."

It is perhaps not surprising to learn that Fagiri rates the Omani online voting endeavor as his enterprise's biggest achievement yet. But given the startup's roots, Uqudo's participation in such an