PNG finalises rules linking SIM cards to SevisPass digital ID

Papua New Guinea is finalising regulations that would require adult mobile subscribers to link their SIM cards to the SevisPass national digital ID within 12 months of approval. Telcos would verify identity through tokens rather than storing raw biometrics, while the same ID already supports bank accounts and may be tied to the electoral roll. The move shows mobile access, finance and civic participation converging on a single state-issued identity, part of a wider global trend toward identity-gated participation in daily life.