This archive report was first published on 6 September 2019.
Published on September 6, 2019, a report by AFP highlighted China's move towards a cashless economy with the introduction of facial payment technology.
According to AFP, this technology allows shoppers in China to make purchases by simply posing in front of point-of-sale (POS) machines equipped with cameras that refer to images linked within a digital payment system or a bank account.
With China's significant investments in Africa, including the development of infrastructure such as the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya, it is possible that this technology may be adopted on the continent.
Bo Hu, chief information officer of Wedome bakery, which uses facial payment machines across hundreds of stores, stated, 'I don’t even have to bring a mobile phone with me, I can go out and do shopping without taking anything.'
Concerns Over Data Protection ¶
The software behind the facial recognition system is already widely used in China to track and monitor citizens, especially dissidents. AFP noted that the facial recognition system has been credited with catching jaywalkers and criminals within the Asian country.
Its implementation in Africa could raise eyebrows, as questions arise over some governments on the continent that seek to quell dissident and monitor citizens.
Unlike Europe, which has General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), most of Africa is years away from implementing data protection laws.
Mobile Money Payment Systems ¶
Kenya, with its advanced and popular mobile payment infrastructure, could be a suitable candidate for adopting facial payment technology. Services such as M-Pesa, operated by Safaricom but owned by Vodafone, have enabled financial inclusion and could be the anchor for the development of a facial payment system in African countries in future.
