Investment Magazine/exclusive
In a strategic move that reinforces the Yemeni government's orientation towards digital transformation and the development of the business environment, the General Investment Authority (GIA) officially launched “NAFITHA”, the first unified national digital platform for investment services in the Republic of Yemen, in a ceremony attended by the Deputy Minister of Economy, Industry and Investment, Mr. Ahmed Al-Shoutari, with the participation of private sector leaders and representatives of relevant government agencies.
The platform is a qualitative achievement towards building a unified digital portal that enables investors to carry out all procedures for establishing and operating projects through a single point of entry, supported by smart services and a seamless user interface.
In his speech during the launch ceremony, H.E. Deputy Minister Ahmed Al Shawtari expressed his pride in this achievement, stressing that the strategic goal is for Nafaa to be the only entity authorized to grant all investment licenses, ensuring the acceleration of procedures and unifying the regulatory reference.
For his part, Mr. Yasser Abdulkarim Al Mansour, President of the General Authority for Investment, explained that the platform was fully developed and implemented by national hands from the Authority's cadres, and its trial operation began on January 5, 2024. Since its launch, the platform has witnessed the registration of investment projects worth $790 million, which is close to achieving the new investment law's target of $1 billion during its first year. The average transaction completion time was about 12.5 days.
The platform is designed to accommodate more than 200 services and is capable of processing at least 10,000 transactions per year. The platform relies on a modern digital infrastructure, including a cloud data center and advanced cybersecurity standards. A digital service directory has been issued with 190 services currently available to investors, including registering projects, modifying data, requesting exemptions, filing complaints, and obtaining consultations.
For his part, the Vice President of the General Federation of Yemeni Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Mohammed Mohammed Salah, praised this achievement, stressing that Nafaa represents a real transformation in supporting the private sector and facilitating procedures, enhancing transparency and opening new horizons for the flow of local and foreign investments.
During the launch, a practical experience of providing an investment project registration service was reviewed by the project manager, Engineer Mohammed Musharah, Head of the Technical Office at KDIPA.
The Nafaa platform provides an integrated package of interactive services, including a smart application to identify the required licenses, a real-time notification system, the ability to save and follow up requests electronically, and analysis tools that enable the investor to make the right decision.
For his part, Eng. Mohammed Ahmed Hussein, Head of Promotion and Policy Advocacy Sector at SAGIA, pointed out that SAGIA is working to complete the institutional linkage with relevant government agencies to transform Nafaa into a comprehensive digital center that automatically grants licenses and speeds up the transaction cycle, thereby enhancing investor confidence and consolidating Yemen's position on the regional and international investment map.
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