Dubai e-Government gets Dh1.5bn in e-payments

Dubai eGovernment has reported a significant increase in the adoption of electronic services in 2009 compared with the previous year.

About Dh1.5 billion was collected from 1.4 million transactions that were processed in 2009 using Dubai eGovernment's electronic payment gateway, a secure platform for online payments. This represents an increase of Dh500 million over the previous year in which Dubai eGovernment collected Dh1bn from a million transactions.

The feat was achieved despite the fact that the number of departments adopting the electronic payment gateway in 2009 remained the same – at 22.

"Our strategy is to establish a centralised platform in providing e-services as we are strongly committed to supporting the gradual digital transformation of Dubai and the entire UAE," said Director-General Ahmed bin Humaidan. "This strategy contributes to the development of innovative channels that assist government departments in providing e-services to customers in a smooth, easy and effective manner.

"It also strengthens communication lines and collaboration among government departments in Dubai, with the understanding that each department plays an important role in satisfying the needs and requirements of customers, whether UAE Nationals or residents of Dubai.

"The positive results that we achieved in 2009 reflect the trust and confidence of the public in Dubai e-Government. We are also keen on developing new solutions and e-services and cultivating best."

He said the department's plans and strategies for 2010 included the continued development of e-service platforms and increasing the level of efficiency of e-services to satisfy the expectations of customers, whether government departments, individuals or companies.

"In addition, we aim to include more government departments and agencies in Dubai and achieve integration in the delivery of services through a unified platform, which we believe will contribute significantly to realising the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015."

The payment service allows customers to process payments through three methods: credit cards, the e-dirham and direct debit from the customer's account. This saves time while helping reduce long queues in government departments.

Currently, direct debit from the customer's account is available at three national banks – Commercial Bank of Dubai, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Union National Bank.

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