Muscat: Around 6.7 million visitors accessed 'Sanad Services' portal for seeking information and electronic services.
The Sanad Service Centres, affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, have witnessed increasing demand for transactions, completing more than 900,000 transactions and electronic services within the first eight months of 2024.
A total of 608,907 transactions were completed through the Sanad Services electronic portal, while 292,132 services were processed through the centres' access to the Oman Business Platform. As of the end of August, 913 centres were providing around 370 electronic services.
Mohammed bin Salem Al-Mushaikhi, Director of Sanad Service Centres at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, stated: "Sanad Service Centres have achieved their desired goals in recent months, successfully completing numerous services that simplify and expedite processes for customers.
These centres have also provided 2,433 job opportunities by the end of August."
A Trusted Platform and Integrated Services
Al-Mushaikhi added: "From January to August 2024, Sanad Service Centres completed 901,039 transactions and services.
According to the statistics of the Sanad Services electronic portal, Muscat Governorate accounted for the largest share of completed services, representing 48%, followed by North Al Batinah Governorate with 13%, and Dhofar Governorate with 7%."
Collaboration with 23 Governmental and Private Institutions
Al-Mushaikhi noted that approximately 23 governmental and private institutions offer their services through Sanad Service Centers.
These services vary according to customer needs and include over 370 different offerings, such as medical examination forms, business registration, work permits, contracts, technical and health services, water services, vehicle registration, taxi plate registration, and more.
The centres also collaborate with newspapers to provide advertisement services. Moreover, Sanad Centres cooperate with electricity and water companies to expedite customer transactions with high accuracy. For example, they collaborate with Nama Group for tasks such as service requests, customer data updates, meter inspections, and billing issues.
Increased Demand for the Sanad Services Portal
Al-Mushaikhi highlighted the growing demand for the Sanad Services electronic portal, which has seen approximately 6.7 million visitors seeking information and services across various centers in the Sultanate of Oman. He emphasized that this reflects trust in the Sanad Centers’ employees, who strive to provide the best service and expedite transaction completion. Some centers have even increased their workforce to up to 18 employees to extend working hours and reduce waiting times.
Supporting E-Government Initiatives
Al-Mushaikhi explained that significant efforts are being made through Sanad Service Centers to achieve excellence in providing electronic services, both governmental and private, in line with Oman's e-government strategy. With 913 centers currently spread across the governorates, Muscat leads with 265 centers, followed by North Al Batinah with 144, and Dhofar with 119. Other governorates also have numerous centers, such as South Al Batinah, Al Dakhiliyah, North Al Sharqiyah, and more. He also highlighted that Sanad Centers are managed by a highly trained national workforce, facilitating transactions for individuals and private enterprises with governmental entities.
This contributes to the national e-government strategy and supports the economy by promoting small and medium enterprises, while also providing more job opportunities for Omanis.
Speed and ease in transaction processing
Al-Mushaikhi mentioned that the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion continuously monitors customer feedback on Sanad services and works to simplify procedures and introduce new transactions.
In recent months, the ministry has conducted workshops to explore expanding electronic services for citizens, residents, and investors. The ministry also supports Sanad Service Centres by overcoming challenges, ensuring their sustainability, and involving centre owners in future ministry plans.
Sanad Service Centres Identity
Regarding the identity of Sanad Service Centres, Al-Mushaikhi stated that it is part of a continuous development initiative aimed at enhancing the centres' leadership in electronic services. The identity is a key step towards achieving the desired development, with the ministry ensuring that customers feel they are dealing with a large, well-organised institution, delivering consistent, high-quality services.
