Minister: Gov’t e-payment system effective tool for transitioning to cashless economy

General

The government e-payment and collection system, launched in May 2019, is one the most important tools for building a “digital Egypt,” Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said Saturday 07/05/2022.

It is also one of the government’s tools for transitioning to a cashless economy, promoting financial inclusion, to move towards the “new Republic,” which helps improve government performance, enhance public services, and fostering good governance and transparency, Maait added in a statement released by the ministry.

Commending the outstanding performance of the digital payment system over the past 34 months, Maait revealed that around EGP 3.7 trillion was paid through it for e-payment and e-collection services, while EGP 1.144 trillion was paid in taxes and customs, and EGP 3.304 billion was paid via the government e-payment portal to government e-payment and collection center and its affiliated collection companies.

He said that citizens are not required to pay any additional fees to use the government e-payment channels, noting that those fees are charged to the public treasury pursuant to the directives of the National Payments Council.

Meanwhile, head of the government e-payment and collection unit at the Finance Ministry Mohamed Fouad highlighted the unit’s important role at the regional level, given its constructive contributions to achieving economic integration within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the largest economic bloc in Africa.

The Ministry of Finance issued Decree No. 269/2018 on collection procedures of the government, tax and customs receivables through electronic payment and collection system. It stipulates that all payments of all governmental dues, including tax and customs in excess of EGP 100,000 will be through electronic payment and collection system.

Source: State Information Service Egypt