Dubai eGovernment, has signed an agreement with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) to launch a co-branded Visa card that can be used for both eGovernment and day to day transactions. Backed by Visa International, the world's leading payment solutions provider, the new card will provide a convenient, flexible and secure way for both individuals and corporations to conduct epayments transactions with government departments.
The co branded cards, which will be obtainable either as credit cards or as prepaid cards, will have all the features and benefits of standard payment cards, plus additional, innovative government related features. The cards will be officially available in the third quarter, following an extensive awareness and advertising campaign.
The initiative underlines Dubai eGovernment’s commitment to supply value added benefits and services to UAE residents through a single portal that provides substantial advantages to both individuals and corporations in their dealings with different government departments. It also re inforces the shared vision, strong partnership and unity of purpose of Dubai eGovernment and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi as they strive to increase the number of epayments transactions and raise e-literacy levels.
Salem Al Shair, Director of eServices, says: “As part of our strategy to increase the adoption of e-payment solutions, we have teamed up with NBAD and Visa International to implement a practicable and easy payment solution that will provide tangible and relevant benefits to customers. Driven by our vision, Dubai eGovernment is committed to introducing innovative concepts that will ease the lives of our people. In collaboration with two of the world’s leading financial institutions, NBAD and Visa International, we are able to provide our clients with services of the highest standards of security and reliability. NBAD was a clear choice to be our partner due to its leading position in the financial services industry, while Visa cards are more widely-held and accepted than any other card in the world.”
Saif Ali Al Munakhas Al Shehhi, General Manager of NBAD’s Domestic Banking Division, adds: “This agreement brings together three leading organisations with a reputation for innovation, quality products and experience in providing superior customer service. With the ever increasing numbers of transactions taking place in the region, and the security issues associated with them, it is becoming increasingly important to move to electronic-based payment instruments. In conjunction with our partners, we shall continue to provide our customers with value added, feature packed payment solutions.”
Kamran Siddiqi, General Manager for Visa International in the Middle East, says that Visa is proud to have been selected as the exclusive provider of the new cards. “Local yet global, easy to use, trustworthy, reliable, secure and convenient, Visa is the world’s best-known payment card brand. As well as providing an easy way to make ePayments to government departments, the new cards can be used at merchants in the UAE or overseas. This will encourage people to leave money in their bank accounts to cover their day to day purchases, and banks can use these funds to provide consumer and commercial loans that will boost the economy and drive economic growth.”
NBAD is the larget bank in the UAE in terms of assets, deposits and net earnings. Ever since its establishment in 1968, it has expanded its operations both in terms of geographical location and scope of activities. It has the largest branch network across the UAE having 62 branches and 140 ATMs. NBAD has been awarded the Middle East E-Banking Country Award- UAE on 25th September 2005 and The Award of Outstanding Achievement in the Use of IT in Financial Services on 26 September 2005.
Dubai eGovernment is a pioneering initiative in the region to provide online services across the spectrum of corporate and community life in the emirate. It also has a vision to integrateindividually automated government departments under the single umbrella of the eGovernment initiative, thus empowering employees across lines of businesses and levels of government, besides facilitating the lives of citizens and customers of the government. Dubai has taken a lead in the region in deploying eGovernment applications and is among the first few governments in the world to provide such integrated services to its citizens. The eGovernment portal (www.dubai.ae) is a single contact point masking the complexity of the bureaucratic procedures, and guiding access to all services in the easiest possible way. In addition, the eGovernment initiative seeks to improve and enhance procedures by maximizing the benefit from technology, so that users from all walks of life will be able to utilize the portal for their specific needs with considerable ease.
Visa International is a partnership owned by, and comprised of, 21,000 member banks. These banks have issued over 1.5 billion Visa cards worldwide on which US$4 trillion per year is spent across over 150 countries. Visa’s role is not to make a profit but to provide payment solutions for its member banks, enabling them to issue cards and process merchants’ Visa card transactions. The Visa products issued by the banks are safer, more convenient and more efficient than cash. Furthermore, they help to bring people into the banking system and to increase the funds available for commercial loans, the lifeblood of a growing economy.For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.
