Batelco and NBB Unite to Boost Bahrain’s Digital Business Ecosystem

Malaz Madani

Last updated 17-06-2025

3 min

National Bank of Bahrain and Batelco have partnered to offer digital service packages for local businesses.

The new packages combine Batelco's connectivity with NBB's payment solution, NBB GO, into one product.

NBB GO transforms smartphones into mobile point-of-sale devices for seamless contactless payments.

The collaboration supports Bahrain's vision for a digitally advanced business environment by simplifying processes.

This integration is expected to boost Bahrain’s startup scene by enhancing digital service accessibility.

When two giants join forces, the whole startups ecosystem definitely perks up a bit—and that's exactly what's happening in Bahrain right now. Recently, National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) and telecom leader Batelco signed an MoU to introduce integrated digital service packages aimed at local businesses. Sounds pretty spot on to me.

The tie-up hinges on combining banking solutions and connectivity services into a tidy, one-stop package. Basically, Batelco can now bundle its connectivity services with NBB's innovative payment solution, called NBB GO, making life easier for businesses across the kingdom. I reckon that'll save SMEs from dealing with separate payment systems and communication setups—definately something they'll be chuffed about.

For those new to it, NBB GO is an Android-based app that magically transforms any NFC-compatible smartphone into a secure, fully-functional mobile point-of-sale (POS) device. Merchants won't need to faff about with traditional card machines anymore, as they can seamlessly accept contactless cards and mobile wallets straight from the app—pretty handy for anyone looking to embrace the convenience of cashless payments.

Hisham AlKurdi, NBB Group’s chief executive for markets and client solutions, highlighted how the partnership taps into Bahrain's bigger vision for a digitally rich business environment. He believes that blending fintech tools like NBB GO with Batelco’s connectivity offering will simplify things for business owners—making payments smoother, secure and altogether less of a headache.

On Batelco's part, Abdulla Danesh, the general manager of enterprise, shared the same enthusiasm, stressing their ongoing commitment to revamping digital service accessibility for the kingdom's enterprises. By aligning secure payments and robust connectivity, the firms jointly aim to help businesses run more effectively, cut costs and level up their digital game.

That said, it is illuminating to see such collaboration thriving, as partnerships like these inject momentum into Bahrain’s startup and SME scene, helping entrepreneurs forge ahead with more confidence. Here at Arageek, we’ve seen countless businesses struggle when juggling separate technology solutions. A neat integration like this could really simplify things for them, you know?

On the flip side, it’s only the start. To truly bring about a cashless, digitally advanced ecosystem, more players across different sectors will need to jump on the bandwagon. But with major institutions teaming up like this, the future for Bahrain’s businesses certainly looks brighter.

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