CHALLENGES
Digital Transformation in Egypt
Egypt has been fostering a robust strategy to achieve flawless digital transformation in various governmental aspects. MCIT is seeking to create public value, with regards to the value for individuals through easy access to government transactions and information, and value for the government in terms of doing more for less.
The GovTech Innovation Lab is keen on using the most effective approaches and successful methods to lay the foundations for the transformation of Egypt into a digital society.
How challenges are tackled
The first step of reaching a national goal is crucial. Instead of jumping into solutions, our approach is based on finding the right challenges to tackle at first. By using the life events approach, we are able to get an overview of the end-to-end experience of people’s interactions with government. It also allows us to identify challenges and opportunities for whole-of-government service improvements, which provide a seamless experience for citizens and organized and digitized data for the government.
2- Employment
Employment as a Challenge
Employment is a journey of challenges for any job seeker. Between the need for soft skills and technical training, the massive search for the right position and the days and weeks spent in traditional enrollment processes, the need for a digitalised solution arises.
According to the World Bank, unemployment in Egypt has been reduced to 7% of the total labour force in 2023. This is considered a huge improvement as it reached 13% in 2013. However, compared to the global unemployment rates (5.8%), more efforts are required to enhance the rates in Egypt by replacing the traditional means with more digitalised ones, and not just for unemployment, but rather for the different challenges that arise during the journey as well.
Services for Each Phase of the Journey
The employment services consist of 4 phases, with various services presented in each phase of the journey:
- Qualifying for jobs
In order for graduates to keep pace with the ongoing changes in the labour market, The Ministry of Manpower provides vocational training, courses, and scholarships that aim to equip youth with a variety of soft and technical skills.
- Seeking the right opportunity
Job seekers can access different services where they register for available vacancies in Egypt or abroad through the governmental portal of oppdigitalizedor private recruitment companies.
Some services also include information on prohibited companies in Egypt or abroad.
- Enrollment in a company
Once accepted in a new position, both the employer and the new employee are required to present certain documentation to employment offices and ensure transparency between the company and the employee with a criminal records certificate of the employee, an insurance quote, military status and other documentation. Some professions, for instance, require a license to practice the profession as well.
- Maintaining a safe working space
As occupational safety and health agreements should be constantly applied, standard inspection is regularly enacted.
The solutions for employment are directed towards:
For the employment challenges, the targeted citizens include:
- Employers
- Employees
- Employment seekers
Each of those groups could be further classified into more diverse demographics that could change their whole journeys. For instance, job seekers with disabilities have a different journey to reach the most suitable position, and foreigners who live in Egypt face different challenges than Egyptian citizens.
Our goal at GIL is to walk through the journeys of these personas, understand the challenges they pass by, and find solutions based on the citizens’ opinions and the innovative startups’ abilities.
Resources and Entities
The Ministry of Labour is the main entity behind employment.
You can access the different services of the employment offices through the Public Service Map.
Call for Citizens
Have you faced employment challenges in your life?
Whether you are seeking training, looking for a job, or currently employed, your voice matters to describe the challenges you encountered in your journey and your suggestions for solutions.
Share your valuable notions.
Call for Startups
Do you have a vision of how to end employment challenges?
Join us now for intensive labs on the GovTech solutions for employment, an unmissable opportunity to learn, share your ideas, and reach the growth goals of your startup.
Apply now.
3- Justice
Justice as a GovTech Challenge
Justice plays a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring fairness for all its citizens. However, Egypt continues to face challenges in delivering justice in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. According to statistics from the Ministry of Justice in Egypt:
- The volume of cases to be treated exceeds the processing capabilities of the system. The number of new cases is of 1,200,000 per year, whereas the Egyptian judiciary system is only able to handle around 300,000 cases per year.
- Traffic violations are a pressing issue in Egypt. Every year around 12,000 Egyptians lose their lives as a result of a road traffic accident, which mostly happens as a result of the non-automated application of traffic regulations.
However, as technology advances, new systems can ensure a fair and efficient delivery of justice.
Aspects of Justice include:
- Traffic Laws and Public Safety
Traffic laws are a critical aspect of justice that directly impacts public safety in Egypt. Without advanced technologies such as smart surveillance systems, artificial intelligence, and machine learning algorithms, authorities will not be able to automate the process of identifying traffic violations and issuing penalties. Sticking to tradition increases the margin of error that human operators may encounter.
- Digital Courtrooms and Case Management
Another key GovTech challenge faced by the Ministry of Justice is the digitization of courtrooms and case management systems. As the number of cases continues to rise, courts often face overwhelming backlogs and delays. If digital courtrooms and robust case management systems are not adopted, administrative burdens will continue to arise, and time consumption will not be reduced.
- Access to Legal Information and Services
Equal access to legal information and services is crucial to ensure justice for all in Egypt. This is not applicable without the use of GovTech solutions where the implementation of chatbots and digital assistants can further enhance access to legal guidance, empowering individuals to navigate the legal system effectively.
Entities
The Ministry of Justice is the main entity behind justice in Egypt which provides various services for citizens.
The Egypt Traffic Portal is more concerned with traffic regulations, which falls under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior of Egypt.
Call for Citizens
Have you been in contact with Justice entities and faced challenges due to the lack of digitalisation?
Share your feedback on the journey of citizens in Justice entities and be a real change maker.
Call for Startups
Can the technologies of your startup contribute to finding solutions for the challenges of Justice?
Join GIL for a chance to leave a nationwide impact with the distribution of your technology.
4- Health
Challenge Overview
Since Egypt adopted a new constitution in 2014, which heartily addresses health as a fundamental human right, efforts have been made towards improving the general public health and making health services affordable and accessible for all citizens.
However, the low standards of care provided in public health facilities have created major challenges. This is due to the non-digitalised means of communication between health facilities, doctors, and patients, which led the patients to either abandon the public health services or suffer through a holistic journey of bureaucracy while enduring illnesses and diseases on the side.
The health challenges lie in some of its services, which include:
- Providing basic health care: This is the most fundamental service provided to the nation, especially for mothers, children, and patients in need.
- Prevention of endemic diseases: It includes food control, occupational and industrial health, and other services that are directed towards securing a healthy environment for the citizens.
- Licensing services: This is directed towards hospitals, medical centres, gym clubs, laser centres, …etc
- Authentication services: Health authentication is needed through different life events such as birth or death certificates.
- Travelling services: This ensures the health of Egyptians who are travelling abroad.
- ClinicalKey: ClinicalKey is a clinical search engine that supports the clinical decision requirements of physicians, medical librarians, CMOs/CMIOs, and healthcare professionals.
As well as other services such as family planning, health insurance, medical staff training, and others whose challenges and targeted audiences vary yet are still in need to be addressed with a digitalised solution.
Entities
- The Ministry of Health and Populations is the main entity behind the national health services in Egypt.
- The Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) manages numerous hospitals and clinics inside and outside factories, as well as school health clinics, polyclinics, and pharmacies.
- The Curative Care Organization (CCO) offers inpatient and outpatient care in specific governorates through contracts with other entities and individuals.
- The Therapeutic Institution, which includes various hospitals and institutes in Egypt
Call for Citizens
The health of the nation is the most essential step towards its development. Your insights and opinions are the most crucial step towards finding solutions to the challenges facing the health sector
Share your valuable feedback.
Call for Startups
Would you like to be a pioneer in creating a solution for health challenges? Turn your ideas and innovation into nationally used services that can put the health challenges to rest.
Create a solution.
5- Business Entities (SMEs)
Challenges at the heart of innovation
Micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of the Egyptian economy. They include the innovative minds of the nation who contribute to its development. In 2021, MSMEs were reported to be approximately 3.74 million companies, representing 44.6% of total institutions in the formal private sector.
However, despite the importance of MSMEs, startup and business founders find it very challenging to go through the full enterprising or entrepreneurial journey with the lack of the digitalised tools needed.
The MSME Development Agency (MSMEDA) in Egypt provides various services to founders, from providing training to licensing, marketing, technical support, and finally funding projects and aiding them through their growth stage.
While all these services are powerfully essential for any startup, the challenge lies in reaching those services, applying for aid, and using traditional authentication. Due to the lack of digitalisation, business owners spend days or even weeks gathering documentation from multiple entities, manually creating paper-based data for their business, and awaiting responses.
The journey of the small business owner
To better understand your audience, remember the stages that founders go through to have an established small business;
- Existence: Are the founders in your audience still at the MVP stage? What challenges prevent them from launching and existing?
- Survival: Do they have a consistent flow of customers now? What challenges might they be facing?
- Success: Has your audience reached success with their small businesses?
- Take-off (growth): Are the founders in your audience taking their small business to be a medium one? Or even growing bigger? What do they need to know to overcome challenges at this point?
Services
The services provided for startups in Egypt include:
- Training services: specialized courses to train business owners and entrepreneurs and equip them with the needed skills and efficiency
- Establishment services: which include establishment procedures and issuing licenses to operate and license projects
- Project aid and development: supportive programs for founders to start their businesses effectively and reach growth in the market
- Funding services: which include pitching events and funding programs specifically curated for MSMEs
Entities
The MSME Development Agency (MSMEDA) is the leading entity that is concerned with the development of MSMEs and entrepreneurial projects.
In addition, ITIDA is an agency launched by MCIT that provides business setup services, as well as training, technical aid, and more.
Call for Citizens
As the backbone of our economy, your judgment directs us towards a further understanding of the challenges that SMEs go through during their journeys.
Express your story and lead the way towards finding a solution.
Call for Startups
Could your business provide a GovTech solution that carves new technology into a problem-fixer?
Join us now and let your startup be a glimpse of hope for other businesses.
6- Housing
The Challenge of Housing in Egypt
With a population of over 113 million, Egypt is facing a housing crisis that is among the most severe issues. Hence the Ministry of Housing is working towards providing suitable housing units for all segments of society, with the implementation of suitable educational, health, cultural and recreational services for all areas.
However, the lack of digitalization in the housing sector creates challenges for citizens and hinders the government’s efforts from reaching its goals. These challenges include:
- Inefficiency in the application process
Without digital platforms, the application process for housing can be lengthy and inconvenient. Paper-based applications lead to delays, lost documents, and inefficient sorting of applications. This can result in a longer waiting time for housing, causing frustration for those in need.
- Lack of Transparency and Accountability
Lack of transparency can lead to corruption and favouritism, and without proper digital platforms, it becomes more challenging to ensure fair allocation of housing resources.
- Lack of Communication
Without digital tools, it becomes harder for citizens to express their needs and give feedback on the infrastructure and the services provided for their area. This can lead to continuous corruption and citizen dissatisfaction.
Entities
The Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities is the main entity responsible for planning and implementing affordable housing projects, establishing regulations and codes for construction, and providing infrastructure and utilities in residential areas.
Call for Citizens
Have you applied for housing or dealt with housing services before?
Our aim is to listen to the challenges you face, understand your perspective, and find a solution with you.
Share with us your insights.
Call for Startups
Does your agency provide important information about key life events that could enhance the housing services?
Reach out with your ideas and solutions for a chance to enroll in the one-of-a-kind GIL program.
7- Tourism
Challenges Facing the Egyptian Tourism
Egypt has always been a popular tourist destination. In April 2023, Egypt received a record-breaking 1.35 million tourists, contributing significantly to the economy. However, the tourism sector in Egypt is facing several challenges, especially regarding digitalization and modernization.
Some of the key challenges include:
- Lack of Online Presence
Despite being a renowned tourist destination, many small businesses, local attractions, and tourism services in Egypt lack a substantial online presence. This leads to limited visibility and accessibility for Egyptian and foreign tourists, resulting in missed opportunities to attract potential visitors.
- Inefficient Booking Systems
Outdated and inefficient booking systems pose a significant challenge for the tourism industry in Egypt. Hotels, tour operators, and transportation services often rely on traditional methods, hindering the ease of booking and payment processes for tourists. This not only creates inconvenience but also diminishes the overall experience for visitors.
- Safety and Security Concerns
Tourism in Egypt has been affected by security concerns, impacting both international and domestic visitors. Without the advanced technological security measures and enhanced emergency response mechanisms, tourists might not feel safe enough.
Entities
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is the main entity that’s responsible for providing tourism services.
The Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Activation is a sub-entity that is responsible for promoting tourism in Egypt.
Call for Citizens
If you’re a traveller who loves to explore their country, then now is the time to co-create a solution!
Share with us the challenges you faced during any interaction with touristic entities due to the lack of digitalisation.
Call for Startups
If your startup provides innovation related to tourism, then now is the time to take your business to the next level!
Apply for the GIL to learn more about challenges and find applicable solutions.
8- Agriculture
Agriculture as a GovTech Challenge
Agriculture plays a significant role in the economic development of Egypt. It contributes nearly one-eighth of the GDP, employs one-fourth of the labour force, and provides the country with an immense part of its foreign exchange.
However, despite its rich agricultural heritage, the lack of digitalization within Egypt’s agricultural sector creates various challenges for its farmers and citizens. These challenges include:
- Having extra laborious tasks
A farmer’s day consists of lots of analysing and decision making, therefore, adding to their day some unautomated routinary activities decreases their productivity and adds more requirements to their tasks that could be automated, such as milking, creating dairy products, crop management, and other habitual tasks.
- Lack of precision and prediction
As it was mentioned, a farmer’s productivity relies on their decision-making. This could create challenges due to human error or environmental changes. Future droughts, changing weather conditions, or weeds could prevent a farmer from making the right decisions.
- Traditional documentation
Agriculture is a highly regulated industry. A farmer has to document everything for statistical and regulatory purposes. However, manual forms of documentation don’t allow for digital attachments, making the entire process more tedious and time-consuming than necessary.
- Ineffective resource management
Without the proper digital tools, farmers face difficulties in optimizing resource allocation, such as water, fertilizer, and energy. This inefficiency not only strains the environment but also limits agricultural output and creates sustainability challenges.
- Inefficient supply chain management
The absence of digital platforms hinders the smooth flow of agricultural products from farmers to other citizens. This results in delays and increased costs along the supply chain, affecting both farmers’ profitability and citizens’ access to fresh produce.
Entities
The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation is the main entity behind the advancement of agricultural policies with national development.
Call for Citizens
Have you dealt with challenges related to agriculture and want to share your story?
Add your fingerprint to the world of agriculture and Egypt by expressing your ideas, pain points, and journeys.
Call for Startups
Can the technologies of your startup contribute to finding solutions for the challenges of Justice?
Join GIL for a chance to leave a nationwide impact with the distribution of your technology.
What is Social Protection?
In any country, some citizens are found to be more socially vulnerable than others, they might be unable to secure enough income for the basic standard of living due to external factors such as drought or the loss of the family’s breadwinner, or they might need extra aid during the emerging life events such aging or the expenses of education or marriage.
Hence, the social protection systems are concerned with those citizens’ welfare. As the “Egypt Vision 2030” is concerned with enriching the quality of life for Egyptian citizens, the most essential step is to enhance the services provided for groups who need social protection the most.
Social protection includes different aspects, such as:
Who are the Targeted Personas of Social Protection?
The efforts of the Social Protection programs are directed towards the groups that are mostly in need of protection. They can be classified into 4 segments:
The role of GIL is to guide startups towards creating a comprehensive persona of a specific segment of residents, understanding their needs, and finding solutions for their challenges with regard to the different services that the government offers.
Services
In order to fully recognize the social protection needs of citizens, we ought to acknowledge the services provided for different personas by the Ministry of Social Solidarity in Egypt. They include:
Social Affairs
Social Insurance
Nasser Social Bank
Entities and Resources
The Ministry of Social Solidarity in Egypt is the main entity that provides Social Protection services.
The National Organization for Social Insurance entity is more concerned with pension and insurance services.
Nasser Social Bank is for social development, providing different social protection services.
The Current Status of Digitalization for Social Protection Services
While huge efforts have been made to create digitalized forms of services through user-friendly websites and e-payment services, challenges continue to prevail with traditional service providers and the ambiguous journeys that citizens need to endure.
Call for Citizens
Have you been in contact with social protection entities before?
Let us know what challenges you faced. Describe your journey and co-create a long-lasting solution with your valuable insights.
Call for Startups
Are you eager to design a solution for the challenges facing the eligible groups for Social Protection?
Choose your targeted persona and the precise challenge to tackle, and dive deep into finding a solution with our qualifying labs and substantial support.