Wahda Bank, one of Libya’s largest banks, has signed a strategic partnership with Backbase to develop an AI‑native Banking OS that will serve both business and retail clients.

The first phase, slated for 2027, will deliver a fully digital onboarding experience for businesses, allowing online account opening with electronic identity verification, payroll processing, bill payment and invoice management within a single app.

Retail customers will be added to the same platform after the business launch, providing card services and money‑management tools for more than half a million users.

All user journeys will be designed Arabic‑first with full English support, and branch and contact‑center staff will also operate on the Banking OS, gaining a unified view of each customer.

The platform integrates Wahda’s Oracle FLEXCUBE core system with Libya’s instant‑payment rails LYPay and OnePay, enabling real‑time payments.

Wahda’s engineers will work in joint squads with Backbase from the outset and receive training through the Backbase Academy, ensuring in‑house capability to extend the solution over time.

Future phases plan to add corporate banking and conversational AI services, building on the same AI‑native foundation.

Regulatory backdrop and market need

The Central Bank of Libya is steering the sector toward a digital‑first approach, with its National Financial Inclusion Strategy highlighting electronic payments, SME support and artificial intelligence as core pillars.

Currently, opening a bank account in Libya typically requires a physical branch visit, and few local banks offer the combined digital onboarding, payroll and invoice management capabilities now planned for Wahda.

Stakeholder comments and next steps

Backbase founder and CEO Jouk Pleiter said the partnership will give Wahda’s customers Arabic‑first digital banking on a platform the bank can continuously extend.

Wahda Bank CEO Rami Benissa emphasized that many Libyans still rely on branch visits for basic services and that the digital platform will help build the financial system needed for economic growth.

The partnership announcement was attended by Ahmed Gadalla, chairman of Alushibe Holding Group and a Wahda shareholder, underscoring broader interest in modernising Libya’s banking sector.