Manama: The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has been named Best Bank in Bahrain at the 2025 Euromoney Awards for Excellence for its standout financial performance, digital transformation initiatives and customer centric approach throughout the past year. The Bank was also honoured as Best Bank for ESG and Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility, reaffirming its role as a national leader in responsible banking and meaningful community investments.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Usman Ahmed, Group Chief Executive Officer of NBB, stated that the recognition as Bahrain's Best Bank is the result of a focused strategy, with execution rooted in robust governance, innovation-led banking, and a pledge to contribute to national development. The Bank is committed to enhancing client offerings through digitalisation, integrating sustainability into its business at every level, and expanding regionally. These awards are a testament to the collective efforts of the NBB team, who are dedicated to pursuing excellence in all aspects of the Bank's operations.
Ben Naylor, Global Head of Research at Euromoney, highlighted NBB's strong growth with a 7% rise in assets and an 11% increase in profits. The Bank has advanced its digital transformation agenda, expanded sustainably, and launched Bahrain's first Bitcoin-linked investment product. Strategic execution has boosted lending by 16%, with continued emphasis on sustainability and innovation helping to reshape Bahrain's banking sector. NBB's diverse initiatives include CSR, employee engagement, and community support. In 2024, the Bank supported vulnerable groups, youth sports, and education, launched a donations fund for urgent needs, and led environmental efforts. NBB also opened a LEED Platinum-certified branch, launched a Sustainable Management Committee, and recorded significant energy and emissions reductions, showcasing a commitment to ESG principles.
The Bank's innovation-driven ethos has resulted in an 84% increase in newly onboarded retail customers via digital channels and a 23% increase in digitally registered users. NBB has launched a host of solutions to meet the dynamic needs of its business and consumer banking segments.
To cater to younger customer demographics, NBB introduced the Yalla Family Account, part of the NBB Digital Banking app, which aims to instil responsible spending habits among the youth. This product allows parents to onboard their children and manage their accounts through a digital experience.
NBB has also introduced the GCC's first Bitcoin-linked structured investment product, designed for accredited investors. This offering provides capital-protected exposure to Bitcoin's performance, marking a pioneering investment solution that combines innovation with risk management.
For its business clientele, NBB delivered DigiCorp, a revamped corporate banking platform offering secure and efficient financial management. Complementing DigiCorp are DigiConnect, a host-to-host integration solution for large corporates, and the Enterprise Liquidity Management Solution (eLMS), which helps clients optimise balances and manage daily liquidity. Additionally, NBB Go, Bahrain's first SoftPOS solution, allows small merchants to use NFC-enabled Android smartphones to accept payments securely.
These three Euromoney Awards for Excellence further reinforce NBB's vision of redefining modern banking and its position as Bahrain's leading financial institution.