tpay, a digital payments provider operating across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), has secured Egypt’s first licensed framework to offer Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for government services under an agreement with Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA). The framework is intended to enable citizens to pay for selected public services using their mobile balance or by adding charges to their monthly mobile bill.
Expanding Mobile Payments for Government Services
The agreement supports Egypt’s push to broaden digital payment access by allowing mobile-number based payments for government services. Under the DCB model, users can pay for services such as electricity and utility bills, traffic fines, and civil registry services through prepaid credit or postpaid billing.
Supporting Financial Inclusion
The initiative targets broader access for citizens who rely on mobile phones but may not hold bank accounts or payment cards. The release cites that 76.3% of Egyptian adults hold active bank accounts, while mobile and mobile-internet penetration is nearly universal, highlighting the potential to extend digital payments further through mobile devices.
Signing and Leadership Comments
The framework agreement was signed by Ahmed Nabil, tpay General Manager, and Mohamed Shamroukh, President of NTRA. Isik Uman, Group CEO of tpay, said the move marks a “turning point” for enabling frictionless payments for government services via mobile numbers and positions the framework as a foundation for a national digital payment channel.
tpay said the licensed framework reinforces its role in enabling mobile-based government payments and provides a scalable pathway for government fee collection as more services transition to digital channels.