The National Center for Digital Services (CNSN), inaugurated by the President of the Republic, represents a new milestone in the national digital transformation strategy. This was confirmed by Hacene Derrar, an expert in digital strategy, who stated that this infrastructure marks the transition to a decisive phase, namely the utilization of digital services by citizens and public administrations.
Mr. Derrar emphasized that this achievement is the culmination of a strategy driven by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who has turned digital transformation into a top national priority. He also praised the efforts of the High Commissioner for Digitization, led by Meriem Benmouloud, as well as the mobilization of various ministries, specialized institutions, and partners who contributed to bringing this project to fruition.
The expert further pointed out that the National Center for Digital Services relies on several integrated systems. Notably, it includes two intergovernmental data centers located in Algiers and Blida, operating in an active-active mode to guarantee service continuity. According to him, a secure network also links nearly 80 ministries and public institutions independently of the internet, ensuring protected data exchanges.
“These infrastructures represent a strategic asset for digital sovereignty. They will enable Algeria to host the data of administrations and citizens within its own territory, thereby reducing reliance on foreign hosting providers,” he told National Radio, adding that this approach is reinforced by the involvement of the Information Systems Security Agency and the National Authority for the Protection of Personal Data.
In the medium term, Mr. Derrar did not rule out the creation of new data centers, particularly in the southern part of the country, to increase national capacity and leverage available energy resources. He also noted that the current infrastructure, primarily intended for public administrations, should eventually be complemented by a public cloud, allowing businesses to benefit from hosting and cloud computing services.
Turning to digital services, the expert indicated that the newly launched national portal for digitized public services, Dzair Digital Services, marks another major breakthrough. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it will allow citizens to complete their administrative procedures remotely without needing to travel. Initially, 21 services spanning six ministerial departments will be offered. This figure is set to rise to 52 services by the end of 2026, before reaching nearly 350 digitized services by 2028. According to him, the success of this platform will depend not just on its launch, but primarily on its adoption rate. “The challenge now is the embrace of these digital services by citizens,” he stated, stressing that the public must be supported through communication, awareness, and training campaigns to strengthen digital trust. He also insisted on the importance of local assistance, particularly at the municipal level, drawing inspiration from the experience of certain nations that have deployed digital mediators or advisors.
In this regard, Mr. Derrar estimated that digitization helps progressively reduce bureaucracy and enhance the transparency of administrative procedures. While the “zero paper” objective established under the national digital transformation strategy 2025-2030 might not be achieved in its strictest sense, he considered that it will considerably simplify citizen procedures and improve administrative operations.
On the other hand, he acknowledged that resistance persists within some administrations. According to him, the success of this transition will require the involvement of public employees but also, in certain instances, the mandatory use of digital services. Following the significant investments made by the State, he believes the challenge now is to obtain a genuine return on investment through a tangible improvement in public services.
Finally, Mr. Derrar highlighted that thanks to interoperability between administrations, the State will possess more reliable data to formulate better-targeted public policies. According to him, digital technology now serves as a genuine lever for economic development, administrative modernization, and the reinforcement of national sovereignty.