The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has won ‘the Best Retail Bank – Bahrain’ award and ‘the Best Payment Ecosystem Integration’ award at the MEED MENA Banking Excellence Awards 2025.
Usman Ahmed, Group CEO at NBB, highlighted the bank’s dedication to offering innovative banking solutions that meet the needs of individuals and corporates, contributing to a qualitative transformation in the local banking sector with an emphasis on digital experience development, SME empowerment, and the enhancement of corporate banking through technology.
Ed James, Head of Content and Analysis at MEED, praised the Bank’s performance as a model for banking innovation.
James also stressed that the DigiCorp and DigiConnect platforms mark a key milestone in integrating treasury systems with enterprise planning solutions, while the Yalla Family Account product and the NBB’s environmental efforts, such as launching the first carbon-free branch in the Kingdom, highlight NBB’s position at the forefront of sustainable and comprehensive financial service delivery.
The Best Retail Bank – Bahrain award underscores NBB’s commitment to providing an enhanced banking experience, aligning with its environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) principles.
Notable initiatives included the launch of a youth-focused banking product and the development of cutting-edge digital services. Additionally, the bank launched the first carbon-neutral branch in Madinat Khalifa, which is the first building in the Kingdom to secure LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
NBB also supported national efforts to provide social housing and offer accessible financing solutions for energy-efficient vehicles. Furthermore, it rolled out the Yalla Family Account, which allows parents to create accounts for their children and manage daily spending through a dedicated dashboard in the NBB Digital Banking App.
The Points by NBB loyalty program continued to expand its offerings, including cashback, raffles, vouchers, air mile redemption, and charitable donations.
The Best Payment Ecosystem Integration award recognizes the digital banking solutions provided through its advanced platforms, DigiCorp and DigiConnect, which are designed to support financial operations of companies of all sizes. These platforms streamline payment processes, capital management, and reporting through user-friendly interfaces and flexible integration with smart devices.
DigiCorp offers a flexible infrastructure capable of calculating treasury rates in real time, with direct system integration through APIs and DigiConnect, minimizing manual intervention while enhancing operational efficiency.
These achievements highlights NBB’s commitment to implementing innovative strategy focused on contributing to the growth of the Kingdom’s banking sector.
