E-Government Is the Future of Digital Transformation in Sudan!!! (1/2)

Dr Marwa Fouad Qabbani
The implementation of the e-government project began in 2015, when the Ministry of Finance decided to roll out the electronic version of Form 15 (Ornik 15). This involved discontinuing paper receipts and introducing electronic receipts by progressively linking Khartoum State with the other states and computerising the receipt system, so that transaction details would be issued through the electronic revenue collection system.
The decision to implement this was issued by Dr Badr al-Din Mahmoud Abbas, former Minister of Finance and National Economy, mandating the adoption of electronic collection and the cessation of manual receipts. He directed that manual receipts be stopped immediately (and that no paper receipt be issued where a service is provided free of charge).
The Ministry recognised the importance of electronic collection for its role as the authority responsible for maximising public revenues with full transparency, reducing revenue leakage, curbing corruption, lowering administrative burdens in collection processes, and facilitating monitoring and oversight through reliable financial and administrative reports generated by the system.
Computerising the system was a major undertaking that required careful organisation, coordination, and follow-up among various stakeholders. This included setting technical requirements for system integration to ensure compatibility, as well as re-engineering internal procedures to align with the new system.
High-level committees were also established to oversee electronic collection, in coordination with the National Audit Chamber, the Ministry of Finance, and the Central Bank of Sudan—represented by the Electronic Banking Services Company (EBS), the operator of the national switch and electronic payment systems in Sudan—as well as Nile Centre, which served as the developer of the electronic collection system, responsible for integration, testing, and follow-up.
Through this process, the Ministry of Finance worked to convert paper-based financial receipts into electronic receipts issued directly from the accounting system. This enabled linking unit accounts within ministries and consolidating them into two dedicated aggregation accounts for each ministry, structured within the chart of accounts. All of this falls under the oversight of the National Audit Chamber, which bears direct responsibility for revenue collection (electronic or traditional), after which revenues are transferred to the Ministry of Finance’s consolidated account at the Central Bank, the authority responsible for stewardship of public funds across state institutions.
Electronic revenue collection is considered a significant step forward in computerising ministerial operations through integration with internal ministry systems. System integration itself represents a core strategy for the governance of financial institutions and companies as part of the broader digital transformation agenda. In this context, the Ministry of Finance began integrating with Sudanese banking systems to enable payments via banking applications.
Among the direct benefits of e-government is improved efficiency in the delivery of government services, achieved by reducing the time and effort required to obtain services. It also enhances transparency and accountability, as e-government can increase openness in government transactions, thereby reducing corruption and improving overall government performance. In addition, it saves citizens and businesses time and money by reducing the need for in-person visits to government offices. It significantly improves the citizen experience by offering accessible, user-friendly, and tailored services.
To be continued…

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