The Government of Nigeria, represented by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASDRA), has entered into an agreement with eGate, a leading digital transformation company, and Visa, a global leader in digital payments, to strengthen the country's digital infrastructure and serve its people. concluded. Digital ID and unified payment card. This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is in line with the Nigerian government's strategy to diversify the economy and contribute to GDP growth by leveraging the benefits of digital technology.
The MOU is part of a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Nigeria's digital economy by leveraging Visa's global network, eGate's expertise in digital solutions and NASDRA's innovative research capabilities.
The cooperation will focus on strengthening infrastructure and financial inclusion, and developing innovative digital solutions for both businesses and consumers. The first phase of implementation will be payments for healthcare, agriculture, and smart transportation systems.
NASDRA Executive Director Khalil Ahmed said the agreement strengthens the organization's strategic plan for delivering digital transformation and financial inclusion as part of Nigeria's digital transformation efforts.
He added that the memorandum of understanding with Visa and eGate will ensure the introduction of modern digital financial services in support of government policies. “We are confident that the introduction of digital solutions through the MOU will meet the ambitions and requirements of users across the country.”
Essam Al Saghir, chairman of eGate, said the agreement will enable the Nigerian government to deliver new public and financial services leveraging citizens' digital identity and Visa payment solutions to support the government's digital transformation plans. He said yes.
He added that the trend of digitalization of services will help the government meet the expectations of the public and demonstrate flexibility and efficiency.
“There is no doubt that it is a complex mission, and many challenges must be overcome to implement it in the field and provide a seamless customer experience.
Governments need to comprehensively transform the way they deliver services. This is not an easy task and it could take years to fully digitize public services.
Digital ID means saving time and effort on routine identity verification, reducing abuse, fraud and corruption, and providing fairer, better and more efficient services. ”
The implementation process is divided into several phases. The first phase will launch a unified digital ID for citizens. The second phase will cover healthcare, agriculture, and smart transportation payment implementation. Remaining government services will also continue.
Andrew Oboe, Vice President and Group Head, Visa West Africa, said: “This partnership is evidence of our commitment to supporting the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy. We believe that by working together, we can drive significant progress in digital transformation and financial inclusion. Over the past few years, the ICT sector, healthcare and agriculture have led the economic industry and contributed to the country's GDP.”
He added: “Our goal is to help individuals and economies thrive, and we are leveraging technology and automation to enable complete digitization, streamlined financial operations, accountability and improved citizen service delivery. We are fully committed to supporting the government to implement it,” he added.
