SPEAKING during the AI Summit hosted by the International Training Institute in Port Moresby, Minister for Information and Communication Technology Timothy Masiu outlined steps the government has taken in laying the foundations for Digital Public Service.
He said that since taking office in 2019, they have pursued an ambitious digital transformation agenda
grounded in clear and deliberate policy instruments. These include:
The Transformation Policy 202, which is our blueprint for realigning how the government and
citizens interact in a digital society.
The Government Cloud Policy 2023, which has already seen over 146 government agencies on
boarded to our cloud infrastructure.
The Data Governance and Protection Policy 2024, which sets the framework for responsible
data stewardship in an era of growing digital footprints.
The Cyber Security 2024, which progresses the efforts of the National Cyber Security Centre
and calls for a whole-of-government and industry approach in responding to cyber threats?
He said that these reforms are supported by the Digital Government Act 2022, the overarching legal framework that empowers digital transformation across public services.
The government is currently implementing the Digital Government Plan 2023-2027, a whole-of government strategy that ensures digital transformation is a national effort, not a siloed effort, but a national movement.
Fundamental initiatives under this plan include:
The G2G Single Window Portal, led by customs, which is streamlining trade and business
licensing processes.
The eProcurement system, driven by the National Procurement Commission, is digitalizing
public procurement, reducing government project tendering processes from months to days.
The eCabinet system, led by the Office of the National Executive Council, is transforming
executive decision-making.
Meanwhile, the minister also highlighted the upcoming launch of Sevis Pass – Papua New Guinea’s first digital ID, which will be fully integrated with the NID database. The SevisPass will serve as a digital public infrastructure, enabling secure authentication across banking, telecommunication, and government systems.
It will also unlock single sign-on access to a wide array of services, including the upcoming Sevis Portal, a G2C digital service app that will host up to 15 citizen services, from eVoting to school fee subsidy applications, in one platform.
The minister further outlined the economic benefits of a fully implemented digital ID:
A potential 3-5% increase in GDP within the next three to five years
Ease of doing business: Reducing identity verification barriers will enable at least 2 million
new customers across banking, telecommunications, and e-commerce.
Revenue growth: Formalizing participation in the digital economy will improve tax compliance
and expand the revenue base.
Financial and social inclusion: Over 4 million rural citizens will gain direct digital access to
government support, whether it be education, agriculture support, or SME funding.
Democratic integrity: Enhance biometric voting by 2027.
Public safety and security: Improve public safety and border control via centralized ID
verification.
However, despite the progress on Sevis Pass, funding has been a challenge in 2024, with a K7 million budget shortfall.
The minister stated that to fully realize its impact, investment in digital ID as a national digital public infrastructure must be prioritized.