The phrase “go and come back tomorrow” is widely known and reflects the frustrating experience many have with government offices in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where delays and inefficiencies are common.
Citizens travel miles to from rural villages to towns all to be sent back with nothing. Thousands of kina wasted. Employees live work. Hours, days wasted just to line up for government services.
The Government of PNG has faced ongoing challenges with slow and disconnected public services that have made it difficult for many citizens, especially those in rural and remote areas, to access essential government services.
Traditionally, government departments worked in isolation, resulting in delays, duplication of efforts, and inconvenience for people trying to obtain documents or make payments leading to mismanagement and corruption.
Since taking over as the Secretary of PNG Department of Information and Communications Technology, Steven Matainaho has led comprehensive digital transformation journey.
Central to this effort is the Digital Transformation Policy of 2020 and the Digital Government Act of 2022, which provide the legal and strategic framework to guide the adoption of modern technologies to improve government service delivery.
These policies emphasize the need for government agencies to collaborate, improve transparency, and protect citizens’ data through strict governance.
A key achievement in this process is the development of the SevisDEx Interoperability Platform, which will connect various government departments and financial institutions to ensure seamless, secure interactions across systems.
The SevisDEx will allow government agencies and private companies like banks to safely share data about individuals with proper consent. This sharing of data supports eKYC, which is a digital process where individuals can verify their identity online without needing to visit banks or other service providers in person. This helps speed up services like opening a bank account or applying for government support.
At the same time, the platform facilitates digital payments, allowing people to make secure online payments for government services or other transactions without using cash. SevisPay, part of this ecosystem, is a national digital payment gateway linked with the digital identity system.
The platform uses strong security features like multi-factor authentication and live photo verification to protect users’ data and privacy. It also provides a way for different government systems to work together smoothly, improving service delivery and making it easier for citizens to use a range of digital services through one trusted and secure digital identity.
Overall, the platform supports modernizing public services by enabling safe digital identity checks and convenient online payments, making it easier for people across PNG to access government and financial services efficiently.
The department just formalized a partnership with Kina Bank through a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly explore innovations in digital payment infrastructure and secure digital identification technology.
This digital transformation, guided by clear policies and technological innovation, aims to make government services faster, more accessible, and efficient, ultimately improving the everyday lives of Papua New Guineans across the country.
It also supports economic growth by encouraging small business participation and increasing government revenue streams through digital channels. The journey, while ongoing, represents a significant step toward building an inclusive, digitally empowered society in Papua New Guinea
