Government services on smartphones: How digitalisation is changing the lives of Kazakhstanis

Kazakhstan is moving government services to smartphones, integrating information systems, and introducing AI into eGov. These developments form part of the country’s drive to become a fully digital state, as outlined by the President in his Address last year, El.kz reports.

A digital country in 3 years

In his Address of September, 8, 2025, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev set a strategic objective of transforming Kazakhstan into a fully digital country within three years. The digital transformation is expected to encompass public administration, the economy, and the established ways in which citizens interact with government authorities.

For the average citizen, the impact of this policy can be measured in much simpler terms. The fewer documents people have to collect themselves and the fewer visits they need to make to Public Service Centres and government agencies, the more tangible the effect of digitalization becomes in everyday life.

In recent years, the country’s e-government system has increasingly evolved in this direction. Around 90% of government services in Kazakhstan are now available online.

Public service centres are gradually moving to smartphones

During 2025, Kazakhstanis accessed over 51.5 mln government services through digital channels. Almost half of these services were delivered through the eGov Mobile app.

The size of the user base also demonstrates how commonplace this format has become. Over 11.7 mln Kazakhstanis use eGov Mobile, making the smartphone, in effect, the primary channel of interaction with the state for a significant share of the population.

Through electronic services, citizens can obtain a criminal record certificate, check pension contributions, use digital documents, and access a range of services related to real estate, healthcare, and registration. Last year, more than 220 digital services and service functions were available to citizens.

Government services are becoming part of everyday life

Digitalization is gradually moving beyond conventional certificates and administrative documents. One of the most widely used examples is the option to voluntarily restrict access to bank loans and microcredits, which can be activated through electronic government services. This mechanism provides an additional safeguard against fraudulent loan applications made in a citizen’s name.

The eGov Mobile application has also introduced the “Law and Order” service. It enables users to report offences directly through the application and attach the relevant supporting materials.

At the same time, the overall approach to public services is gradually changing. Users increasingly no longer need to determine which government agency is responsible, locate its website, and establish where exactly to submit an application. Instead, services are increasingly designed around specific life events and situations faced by citizens.

AI helps users find the right service

Another area identified in the President’s Address concerns the use of artificial intelligence in public administration. eGov GPT is being developed as part of the upgraded eGov system to help users find the government services they need through ordinary, natural-language queries.

At present, the system covers 51 of the most frequently requested government services. According to the Government, these services account for approximately one-third of all citizen requests.

The practical value of such a tool is clear to anyone who has ever tried to find a service using its official administrative name. Users can describe their situation in their own words, while the system identifies the government service most relevant to their needs.

Healthcare is also moving away from paper

One of the most visible examples of digitalization for citizens is in the healthcare sector. According to the Government, 88% of government services in this area were delivered electronically last year.

Medical certificates have been digitized, certain types of health information are available to citizens without paper documents, and an electronic personal health record is being developed. The next stage involves the creation of a unified digital health profile designed to consolidate information about an individual patient.

Such a system is particularly important when citizens seek medical care from different healthcare organizations. Once comprehensive data exchange is in place, healthcare professionals will have easier access to the information they need, while patients will be less frequently required to provide examination results themselves or reconfirm information that is already available to the healthcare system.

Why Kazakhstan needs QazTech

Behind the familiar eGov interface, a less visible transformation of the government’s IT infrastructure is under way. Kazakhstan is migrating the digital products of government agencies to the unified QazTech technology platform.

During 2026, 39 government information systems are planned to be migrated to the platform. Some of them are already operating on the new platform, while the development of new systems outside QazTech has been restricted.

For citizens, the name of the platform itself has little significance. Its importance will become apparent when government databases are able to exchange information more effectively and agencies stop repeatedly requesting information that the state already holds.

The Government finds the right service for the citizen

The development of e-government is gradually moving towards a proactive service delivery model. The system should be able to identify a citizen’s life situation and offer the appropriate government service, social support measure, or administrative procedure.

This approach is already being used in certain areas, but further digital transformation is expected to expand its scope. As a result, citizens will spend less time searching for services and determining which documents they are required to provide.

By 2029, the Government plans to transform at least 40% of government services through the use of artificial intelligence and automation. At the same time, one of the key measures of success will remain a straightforward, everyday outcome: how many actions citizens will be able to complete independently using their smartphones, and how much information the state will no longer require them to submit repeatedly.