ISKAN Abu Dhabi App Clinches 'UAE Innovates 2024' Award For Social Innovation

The Abu Dhabi Housing Authority (ADHA) has been awarded the prestigious "UAE Innovates 2024" Award in the category of "Most Impactful Social Innovation" for its innovative "ISKAN Abu Dhabi" app. Launched in June 2023, the app is a testament to the Authority's commitment to digital transformation and enhancing the housing services experience for residents of the emirate. The award was presented by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, to Khalifa Al Ketbi, Executive Director of the Housing Services Sector at ADHA.

The "ISKAN Abu Dhabi" app is an interactive digital platform that consolidates government housing services in Abu Dhabi, allowing users to apply for housing services and manage property ownership processes through their mobile devices. This initiative has significantly improved customer satisfaction levels, achieving a 98 percent satisfaction rate by the end of 2023. The app has also contributed to a 49.5 percent reduction in phone inquiries regarding application status compared to the previous year.

Hamad Hareb Al Muhairi, Director-General of ADHA, expressed his delight at receiving the award, emphasizing the Authority's goal to provide seamless and convenient access to housing benefits through smartphones. The app's success aligns with the "Abu Dhabi Programme for Effortless Customer Experience" agenda, which focuses on offering streamlined and customer-centric experiences.

The "ISKAN Abu Dhabi" app has not only enhanced user experiences but also played a crucial role in increasing awareness among users about housing services. The integrated technologies have reduced the average rate of application rejections to below five percent by automatically assessing user eligibility and notifying them of qualifying housing benefits. Additionally, the app includes a "Financial Awareness Programme" aimed at improving financial skills among housing loan beneficiaries.

One of the significant achievements of the app is its contribution to environmental sustainability by offering a completely paperless experience. It is projected to save over 200,000 sheets of paper in the next five years. Furthermore, the app has halved the number of required steps from service application to approval, showcasing its efficiency.

The "ISKAN Abu Dhabi" app supports ADHA's efforts to strengthen the housing sector in Abu Dhabi, enabling the emirate to excel over numerous leading countries across key indicators in the housing sector with an overall satisfaction rate of 94 percent for housing services in 2023. This innovative initiative underscores the significance of innovation in enhancing community services and addressing needs through digital transformation.

With inputs from WAM