Handling civil documents in Mozambique is often synonymous with long queues and wasted time across different institutions. But a Mozambican engineer is among those working to change that, developing a single online platform to integrate all government services.
E&M spoke with Mozambican engineer Elton Sixpence, a lecturer and Director of Graduate Programs at the Higher Institute of Transport and Communications (ISUTC) in Maputo, who proposed interoperability among government institutions as the research topic for his PhD. Sixpence earned his degree in Computer and Informatics Engineering from the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, with a dissertation titled “E-Government Interoperability Enterprise Architecture: Systematic Literature Review.”
His goal is to connect the State’s IT systems, allowing citizens’ data to be shared in real time among different public institutions. The idea was born from a frustration shared by many Mozambicans — the endless repetition of bureaucratic procedures. “I chose this topic because I myself had gone through the ordeal of having to provide my data over and over again,” he says. The root of the problem, he explains, is the lack of interoperability — the inability of State systems to “talk to each other.”
Simplifying processes and sharing information
In practice, the proposal suggests that processes such as birth registration, taxpayer identification (NUIT), and the issuance of identity cards and passports should no longer operate in isolation, but rather as part of an integrated system — similar to what has existed in Portugal for 17 years, since the creation of the Citizen Card. This would eliminate redundancies and unnecessary bureaucracy while improving efficiency.
Imagine a scenario already common in several countries: “When a pregnant woman is admitted to a hospital, she is registered as about to give birth to a new citizen. As soon as the baby is born, that event is immediately recorded and made available to all public administration systems. When processing the birth certificate, the registry simply pulls the data from the hospital. The same applies to the identity card, taxpayer number, passport, and social security. All institutions access the same record, treating that citizen as a single centralized entity. As the person grows, marries, or changes residence, all databases are automatically updated, ensuring accurate and accessible identification data throughout their life,” Sixpence explains.
A matter of organization and political will
According to Sixpence, a newborn could leave the hospital already registered, with a NUIT assigned and linked to the health system. It is, he says, a matter of organization and political decision. “This model, besides reducing administrative costs, combats document forgery, improves public service efficiency, and simplifies citizens’ lives. Another relevant application would be merging ID cards, NUIT, driver’s licenses, and voter cards into a single digital document, securely storing all information in one place.”
Current challenges and possible solutions
Despite its potential, implementation faces obstacles. Sixpence points out that most government IT systems were acquired through external funding — donations or loans from partners such as the World Bank — which creates dependency and hinders long-term maintenance. “The system is installed, but no one ensures its upkeep,” he warns.
To overcome this, he suggests a “user-pays” model in which citizens pay a symbolic fee for digital services, combined with public-private partnerships. Companies could invest in developing and operating digital systems in exchange for temporary concessions, recovering their investment through small service commissions. This could generate jobs for young programmers and technicians, energize the private sector, and increase transparency.
Another obstacle is the shortage of professionals specialized in information systems engineering. “To move forward successfully, it is essential that the Presidency, ministries, and major public institutions have advisors dedicated to ICT who can think strategically, analyze alternatives, and propose technically sound solutions,” Sixpence argues.
Encouraging signs for a feasible project
Despite the challenges, Sixpence sees positive signs, such as the creation of the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization, which “shows political will to advance this agenda.” The path forward, he says, involves training qualified professionals, creating a favorable regulatory environment, and shifting institutional culture to embrace innovative and sustainable digital development models.
Priority sectors for implementation would include Justice, Health, Education, Finance, and Civil Identification — areas where record duplication and lack of interoperability are most evident. Integrating these systems would bring significant social, economic, and political benefits. “This is not a utopian project. It is feasible and would have a huge social, economic, and political impact for the country,” he assures.
The relevance of Sixpence’s PhD research was recognized at the 32nd International Conference on Information Systems Development (ISD 2024) in Sopot, Poland. His systematic review of interoperability approaches, combined with the use of enterprise tools to guide digital transformation in the public sector, provides a solid starting point. “The Mozambican citizen should be viewed as a single entity within public administration, regardless of how many systems are involved. That saves time, reduces administrative costs, and improves service quality. We have the conditions to implement this model, provided there is strategic investment in digital infrastructure, technical training, and political will.”
Part of a global trend
Interoperability among government systems is a global trend aimed at simplifying citizen access to public services, reducing bureaucracy, and increasing administrative efficiency. Estonia is considered a world leader, with a system where nearly all public services are available online and citizens provide information only once. Portugal has implemented a public administration interoperability platform that allows automatic data exchange among ministries and agencies.
In Africa, Rwanda and Kenya have made significant progress in digitalizing and integrating public services, creating unified online portals for documents and licenses — improving transparency and reducing costs. International organizations such as the World Bank, the UN, and the OECD recognize interoperability as a cornerstone of state modernization and a key element in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Text by Ana Mangana • Photography: D.R.
