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National Digital Identity and Government Data Sharing in Singapore – A Case Study of Singpass and APEX
This month we share a case study on Singapore’s national digital identity (NDI) – Singpass and an API Exchange (APEX) which is the government’s data sharing platform. The case study highlights important aspects of digital identity and its use to enable data sharing and ease of access to government services online in minutes. The case study looks at how the use of Singpass and APEX interoperate to improve lives and boost economic competitiveness.
Singpass products and features
Singpass was designed with local political, legal, social and economic conditions in mind. With its 97% adoption rate the application is accessed both by public and private sector online services. Which ranges from healthcare, education, business services and transportation. Users have more control over their data as it enables them to provide consent to share their data held in government databases.
Singpass comprises of the following products and features:
- Login
- Verify
- Myinfo
- Identiface
- Digital IC
- Sign
- Document Wallet
- Notify
- Shortcuts
Singpass also relies on Singapore’s foundation ID system for onboarding its users.
APEX
Application Programming Interface Exchange or APEX is a gateway API that enables sharing of data easily between different entities using APIs. Its two main components, Gateway and Portal. Basically with the APEX, it makes it easier for systems to talk to each other and share data. This reduces the complexity of user data being duplicated and saved on multiple systems.
In summary at the core of Singapore’s digital government services sits a digital identity system that streamlines processes and improves service delivery.
For PNG, the YuTru Digital Identity platform has similar capabilities as Singpass. It is able to function as both the IDaaS provider and the APEX, where all the user identity information is securely stored and maintained – with the user’s consent, and under the user’s control, and conveniently shared across the various private and public domain.
You can read an overview of the Singapore case study on the World bank blog site and download a copy here.