EBS CEO to Sudanhorizon: New National Payment Switch Launching Soon, Market Remains Open to Private Sector

Sudanhorizon – Nazik Shammam

The Electronic Banking Services Company (EBS) has confirmed that it continues to operate as both a sovereign and commercial operator of Sudan’s payment systems, helping ensure the continuity of financial services. The company also announced that a new national payment switch has been contracted and is expected to be launched soon.

In an exclusive interview with Sudanhorizon, Saif El-Din Hassan Ahmed Bari, Chief Executive Officer of EBS, said the Central Bank of Sudan has entrusted the company with the technical operation of the National Payment Switch, making it the central platform that connects the country’s various payment switches, including those operated by banks and financial technology (fintech) companies.

He explained that this arrangement ensures all payment networks are interconnected under the supervision of the Central Bank, preventing the emergence of isolated financial systems while preserving the state’s oversight of liquidity flows.

EBS serves as the Central Bank of Sudan’s operational arm for electronic payments and is the principal operator of the country’s payment infrastructure. The company manages the national payment switch, facilitates instant interbank transfers, provides hosting services for commercial banks that do not operate their own switches, supports retail payment services, and enables electronic purchases, bill payments, and government service payments across Sudan.

However, Bari stressed that EBS’s operation of the national payment switch as a sovereign entity does not mean the market is closed to private-sector competition.

“EBS does not monopolize the market—it organizes it,” he said, explaining that the company’s role as a “switch of switches” allows private operators to compete effectively while ensuring the continuity of the financial system and maintaining the Central Bank’s oversight of money flows between privately operated payment switches.

He added that greater private-sector participation would help transform Sudan’s economy from a closed payment model into an interoperable, open, and multi-player digital ecosystem, led by EBS as the national switch operator while connecting privately operated switches. According to Bari, this model will strengthen Sudan’s position in the regional digital payments landscape.

The issue has drawn public attention in recent days following the revocation of the license of a private company after it launched a banking transaction switch service in Sudan’s administrative capital, Port Sudan.

Commenting on the matter, the EBS chief said the entry of additional private operators is a strategic step toward improving service quality by creating a competitive environment that encourages companies to introduce modern technologies and more user-friendly platforms.

He said private-sector participation would also diversify financial solutions by giving banks and financial institutions a wider choice of technology partners, reducing excessive centralization and accelerating the country’s digital transformation.

Bari further noted that sustainable growth depends on competition, which will naturally expand financial inclusion, as competing companies seek to reach new segments of the population through innovative financial products.

In addition to its role as a “switch of switches,” he said EBS will continue to provide hosting services for banks and financial institutions, helping reduce operating costs while offering them a secure environment for their data.

He explained that linking private payment switches to EBS’s infrastructure would ensure that data sovereignty remains within Sudan’s national borders while allowing the country to benefit from the speed and flexibility of private-sector innovation.

Bari described Sudan’s optimal model as “the sovereign role of EBS as the operator of the national payment switch, combined with the competitiveness of private payment switches.”

“EBS provides reliability, security, and nationwide connectivity—the backbone of the system—while private switches bring flexibility, innovation, and service diversity,” he said.

“This integration ensures that citizens and financial institutions receive fast and advanced payment services without compromising the stability of the financial system or national sovereignty over data.”

Last month, EBS was accredited as an authorized service bureau for the global SWIFT network. Since resuming operations last year, the company says it has processed more than 234 million account-to-account transfers between commercial banks across Sudan.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=15707