Thales is a global technology leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and secure payment systems, serving critical sectors such as banking, telecommunications, and government identity programs. With operations in 68 countries and over 83,000 employees, Thales brings advanced R&D-driven innovation to enhance security, sovereignty, and digital inclusion in both emerging and mature markets.
Thales’ Digital Identity and Security business unit delivers trusted technologies for EMV card issuance, mobile payments, biometric authentication, digital onboarding, and national ID infrastructure—empowering financial institutions and public entities to build trusted digital ecosystems.
Key Products and Technologies
- EMV Card Solutions – dual interface, contactless, and biometric-enabled cards
- Digital Payment Platforms – white-label mobile wallets, tokenization, and secure transaction layers
- Biometric Authentication – facial, fingerprint, and iris-based authentication modules for KYC and AML compliance
- eSIM & Secure Elements – embedded secure chips for mobile connectivity and IoT payments
- Cloud-Based HSMs & Tokenization – secure key management and token lifecycle services
- Digital Identity Wallets – government-certified identity apps for civil ID, voter ID, and health credentials
Core Services
- Secure Card Issuance – personalization, cryptography, and delivery for banks, fintechs, and PSPs
- Mobile Payment Enablement – integration of Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and custom NFC platforms
- National ID Systems – civil registration, voter verification, and public sector identity schemes
- AI-Driven Fraud Detection – behavioral analytics and cybersecurity services for real-time risk management
- Consulting & Regulatory Compliance – support for PSD2, GDPR, PCI-DSS, and local data sovereignty laws
Presence and Impact in Africa
Thales has deployed payment and digital ID systems across multiple African countries, including:
- Ghana, for biometric voter ID and civil registration
- South Africa, for smart card issuance and banking authentication
- Nigeria and Kenya, for secure EMV infrastructure and mobile money integration
Its trusted hardware, software, and secure modules power a wide range of banking and public sector transformation initiatives, advancing financial inclusion, cyber resilience, and payment innovation across the continent.
