Egypt’s regulator the NTRA (National Telecom Regulatory Authority) has granted tpay the country’s first licence to offer Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for government payments. The move will enable citizens who own mobile phones but do not hold bank accounts or cards to pay for essential government services – such as electricity and utility bills, traffic fines, and civil registry services – directly via their devices, either using their mobile balance or by adding fees to their monthly bill. This could have an immense impact on advancing access to digital payments in Egypt; financial inclusion data cited by local outlet Egypt Today notes that while only 76.3% of adults in the market hold active bank accounts, access to mobile internet is nearly universal. Isik Uman, Group CEO of tpay, said that the development would enable “secure and frictionless payments for government services via mobile numbers”, adding that it laid “the foundation for a national digital payment channel that broadens access, improves convenience, and supports Egypt’s evolving digital economy.”

Source: The North Africa Journal January 08, 2026 11:10 UTC