“Egypt is set to launch its digital social insurance and pensions system before 30 June this year,” said Gamal Awad, head of the National Organisation for Social Insurance (NOSI), at a press conference at the International Conference on Management and Innovation in Social Security held in Cairo last week.
The new system will enable people to access their pensions and social insurance via an e-platform, allowing them to retrieve insurance numbers, view pension details, process transactions, submit documents, and complete procedures online, all without the need for in-person visits, Awad added.
“The next step will be the development of a mobile application handling all social insurance services. It will also leverage artificial intelligence to enhance the services available.”
Egypt’s social insurance framework has remained in a closed-loop system since 1982, lacking the flexibility for updates or integration, Awad said. “We had no framework that allowed for system modifications or improvements. So, out first step was to develop an open, data-sharing infrastructure that connects with various state agencies and that will also support other ministries in their plans.”
The digitisation of Egypt’s pensions system faces a host of challenges. According to a February 2025 World Bank report on reforming Egypt’s pensions system, one of the primary obstacles is the paper documents that are likely scattered across multiple locations over decades.
The issue has been compounded by legislation requiring social insurance records to be kept at the headquarters of public institutions, necessitating the long-term preservation of documents related to insurance entitlements and administrative operations.
To address this challenge, the NOSI has launched a digitisation campaign to convert contribution and payment records into a single digital format. Given the sheer volume of documents concerned, amounting to tens of millions, the NOSI has implemented a new system for scanning, managing, and storing records while adhering to regulatory frameworks.
Its e-documentation system will reduce the reliance on paper records, which will be stored in an archiving facility in close proximity to the New Administrative Capital.
However, the data migration process that the digitisation entails has not come without challenges. According to the World Bank report, decades of operations have led to disparities in data management, with gaps in some information.
These discrepancies pose problems in reformatting and updating old data, including those contained in paper records. As a result, the overall pace of data migration, as well as the transition to the new administrative information system, has slowed down.
Regarding concerns about the ability of pensioners to adapt to the new technology, Awad said a large number of pensioners are proficient in using the Internet and mobile applications, while the rest can seek the assistance of younger family members or friends to complete the necessary transactions.
The digital transformation of the pensions system, now nearing completion, is the culmination of several preparatory steps, Awad said, explaining that it had begun with the financial inclusion of pensioners.
“In 2022, there were 9.5 million pensioners in Egypt, three million of whom had bank accounts. Today, all pensioners have bank and postal accounts and Meeza cards, and they can receive their pensions through e-wallets,” he said.
Mohamed Azman, head of the International Social Security Association (ISSA), told Al-Ahram Weekly that “we are working alongside member states [of the ISSA] to prioritise the digital transformation, which is key to advancing social protection services.”
The ISSA has shared several pioneering initiatives, Azman said, citing Algeria’s successful implementation of a fully digitised medical records system, as well as other nations that have ventured into the realm of telemedicine.
Brazil has pioneered digital social insurance, enabling millions of people to access pensions through digital means. He added that accessibility and trust are integral to building systems that benefit communities and not only institutions.
The NOSI first introduced its digitisation programme in 2023, including the creation of an e-platform and front-office systems meant to serve insured people and pensioners.
The new system consists of unified central databases that will enhance the performance of staff responsible for implementing insurance services, eliminating the reliance on human intervention. Additionally, the system will feature a platform for e-payments, digital documentation, and a centralised e-archive.
It is meant to introduce innovative solutions to operational challenges, promote financial inclusion, combat corruption, provide important data for decision-makers, increase productivity, and reduce costs.
The executive regulations of the Social Insurance and Pensions Law 148/2019, outlined in Decree 2437/2021, mandate the NOSI to establish a schedule for full digital adoption, ensuring that all data are submitted electronically.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 20 February, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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