ICTA to launch digital ‘Super App’ to revolutionise access to public services

 ICTA Acting CEO Sanjaya Karunasena

ICTA Board Member Harsha Purasinghe

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) is set to take a significant leap forward in its digital governance agenda with the launch of a comprehensive ‘Super App’ that will centralise access to a wide array of Government services on a single mobile platform.

Speaking to the media on Monday, ICTA Acting CEO Sanjaya Karunasena speaking on the initiative described the upcoming ‘Super App’ as the natural evolution of the GovPay platform, which was introduced earlier this year, as the foundational layer of the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for payment facilitation.

“The development of the ‘Super App’ is already underway with the first phase expected to be rolled out within the next six months,” he told journalists.

He explained that the ‘Super App’ will be a one-stop platform for citizens to access Government services such as national identity card, examination certificates and various licences in a digital format. “It will allow users to securely store and present verified digital documents when interacting with State agencies, without having to physically visit Government offices,” he added.

Karunasena said a key feature of the ‘Super App’ will be its integration of digital payment solutions, including card-based payments, fintech tools and in-app transaction capabilities.

“We have already begun the procurement process and payment solutions will be embedded to make transactions seamless with the objective of enabling frictionless, secure payments for public services,” he added.

Central to this transformation, Karunasena said, is the National Digital ID project, which aims to embed biometric data into citizens’ identity credential, enabling remote verification. “At present, obtaining a passport or renewing a driving licence requires physical presence. With a biometric-enabled digital NIC, these services can be accessed remotely-saving time, cost, and effort,” he noted.

Karunasena asserted that the ‘Super App’ will also support verifiable digital credentials, allowing users to store and present essential documents such as birth certificates, academic records directly from their mobile devices, helping move toward a paperless interaction with the Government.

“With the Super App, public service experience is set to undergo a structural shift from fragment and paper-heavy process to seamless, citizen-centric digital access,” he added.

In parallel with the Super App, the ICTA is also working on modernising the 1919 Government Information Centre, a longstanding portal for citizen queries and public information.

ICTA Board Member Harsha Purasinghe disclosed that the centre will be relaunched with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to improve responsiveness and automate citizen interactions.

“The procurement process is already in motion and we have finalised the architectural and user interface specifications,” he added.

He said the AI-enhanced 1919 service is expected to go live within the next six to eight months.

Purasinghe said these developments mark a critical phase in the country’s digital transformation strategy. “By leveraging technology to reduce bureaucracy, enhance service delivery and increase efficiency, the Government aims to bring more citizens into the digital fold, while improving trust and convenience in public sector interactions,” he remarked.