Muhanna Moosa Baqer, Manager of ePayments, Information Technology Authority in Oman
In some parts of the world e-Commerce and e-Payments are mature developments and expected, but elsewhere, like in Oman, the emergence of electronic payments and the benefits it can bring is just beginning to come to fruition. For example, one of the first things we did to modernize and improve the “e-environment” in Oman was to join hands with MasterCard to implement a National e-Payment Gateway system. The MasterCard Internet Gateway Service (“MiGS”) is a modern e-Payment Gateway system operating worldwide to provide payment services for the e-Commerce industry, allowing merchants and government departments to run business operations on-line, and of course, giving consumers the ability to shop, pay bills, and even donate to their favorite causes.
Dar Al Atta’a is one of the Omani charitable organizations which found great benefits in the e-Payment Gateway, as the emergence of electronic payments has made donating to the charity a lot easier. In the past, people who wanted to donate had to go to the banks or physically come to the donation offices to make a payment towards the charity. With the new system, donators can simply go online and contribute with the press of a button, simplifying the process for them as well as the organization. Therefore, the introduction of electronic donations has not only resulted in added convenience for all involved, but also helped increase Dar Al Atta’s volume of donations.
I am pleased to see the public services become faster and more effective for the residents of Oman. The National e-Payment Gateway leverages the MiGS system to provide online payment solutions to merchants from Government ministries, private sector merchants and charitable organizations in Oman. The e-government initiative was built to transform the country into an advanced e-government, and has brought the services of all ministries and government departments under one roof, giving Omani consumers easy access to numerous services.
In your opinion as a consumer, what are the benefits of e-Commerce?