The e-Dirham, the national e-payment system initiated by the UAE Ministry of Finance in collaboration with National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), was recently conferred with the special merit award for Government to Business and Customer (G2BC) Engagement at the 17th annual Cards and Payments Middle East gala in Dubai, UAE.

The premier event of its kind in the region was organised by Terrapin Middle East at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

The award confirms the significant success of e-Dirham, the smart substitute of cash, in leading the payments industry in its quest to achieve a cashless economy in line with the UAE leadership’s vision.

The participation by e-Dirham at the Cards and Payments Middle East had attracted great interest and praise from both general visitors and industry players.

The e-Dirham pavilion showcased the latest services under its umbrella featuring the safety and convenience of this national e-payment portal.

It was launched in 2001, and the G2 (second generation) services were rolled out in 2011 by the UAE Ministry of Finance (MoF) in collaboration with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. Coinciding with the opening of the smart payments exhibition, the MoF launched its latest partnership that would make it possible for consumers to pay through an e-wallet at more than 100 fuel stations and convenience stores across the UAE.

Under the tie-up with Enoc (Emirates National Oil Company), anyone buying fuel and daily provisions can pay through the e-Dirham e-wallet, without using any cash or card. The facility is available at 112 Enoc and Eppco service stations, and all Zoom retail stores in the country.

Saeed Rashid Al Yateem, the assistant undersecretary of Resources and Budget Sector, Ministry of Finance, said: “The e-Dirham system is the national substitute of cash, representing a pioneer government initiative in the field of smart payments. It supports all cashless payment and collection, including payment platforms through internet and mobile phones to realise the goals of shifting to electronic and smart government services.”

Accoprdinmg to him, the e-Dirham has gone beyond payments requiring a physical card.

"This is in accordance with international user trends, especially with the growing popularity of digital wallets that enable all financial transactions through a single gateway accessible on a smart device. The e-Dirham system uses the triple data encryption standard (3DES), making these transactions extremely secure," he added.

Saeed Al Khoori, the managing director (UAE Government & VVIP Clients) National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), said: "Strengthening partnerships is the guiding principle that has distinguished the participation of e-Dirham in the Cards and Payments Middle East. The pursuit for successful partnerships continues since the launch of e-Dirham’s G2 services."

The system has indeed witnessed a boom with the expansion of its services and presence, observed Al Khoori.

“This year’s exhibition presented e-Dirham’s successful models and practical applications for convenient, safe and effective cashless payments. These include the e-wallet payments at Enoc fuel stations and Zoom stores, and the services offered through the Max Box kiosks,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service