By Egypt’s Bank NXT has extended its partnership with Network International, planning to move its ATM and debit card processing to the payments technology company’s platform.
The agreement is aimed at improving the bank’s payment operations, strengthening security and making it easier to develop new services, the companies said in an announcement published on Sunday.
For Bank NXT, the move is part of an effort to upgrade the technology supporting its card and ATM services.
The transition will place the processing of those services on Network International’s platform, although the companies have not outlined how the change will affect customers or whether any action will be required from them.
Tamer Seif El-Din, chief executive and managing director of Bank NXT, said the extended partnership would support the bank’s plans to improve operational efficiency and customer service.
He said the arrangement would also help the lender develop services more quickly and respond to changing customer needs.
Dr. Reda Helal, group managing director for processing, Africa and growth markets at Network International, said the company would provide the technology and processing capabilities needed to support the bank’s plans.
Banks invest in payments technology
The agreement comes as banks across the region invest in systems that support card payments, ATM transactions and other digital financial services.
Such systems handle the processing of transactions between customers, banks and payment networks. Upgrading them can help financial institutions manage growing transaction volumes and introduce new services, although the results depend on how successfully the technology is implemented.
The extension gives Network International a continued role in the bank’s payment operations as the company seeks to expand its processing business across the Middle East and Africa.
Network International provides payment processing and related technology to financial institutions, merchants and other businesses. The company says it serves customers in more than 50 countries and works with more than 250 financial institutions.
Its services allow banks to use external payment-processing infrastructure to manage transactions rather than build and maintain every component themselves.
Bank NXT expands its banking operations
Bank NXT provides retail and corporate banking services in Egypt, including lending, treasury and investment services. It also serves small and medium-sized businesses.
The lender operates 37 branches across the country, according to information published by the bank.
Established in 1974 as an investment and business bank, the institution began operating under the supervision of the Central Bank of Egypt in 1978. It previously operated under the name aiBANK before adopting the Bank NXT brand.
The bank is part of EFG Holding, a financial services group with businesses spanning investment banking, non-bank financial services and commercial banking.
Upgrading payment infrastructure can help banks support these activities by improving the systems used to handle everyday transactions. However, the extent of any benefits from Bank NXT’s agreement will become clearer as the migration progresses.
Egypt develops digital financial services
Egypt is expanding its digital financial services as the Central Bank of Egypt develops payment infrastructure designed to make electronic transactions more accessible and reduce reliance on traditional banking channels.
One of the main developments is the country’s Instant Payment Network (IPN), launched in March 2022. The network connects banks and allows customers to transfer money between accounts in real time through approved digital channels, including the InstaPay application, according to the Central Bank of Egypt.
The system supports a range of services, including account transfers, payments to cards and mobile wallets, bill payments and balance enquiries. It has also created infrastructure that allows banks and financial technology companies to develop services using interconnected payment systems.
The scale of adoption has grown. By the end of the second quarter of 2026, Egypt’s instant payment network had about 22 million registered customers and had processed 1.47 billion transactions worth 4.33 trillion Egyptian pounds, Central Bank Governor Hassan Abdalla said on October 1, according to Egypt’s State Information Service.
Bank NXT’s extended partnership with Network International fits into this changing payments environment. The bank plans to move its ATM and debit card processing to Network International’s platform, although the companies have not disclosed a completion date or quantified the expected operational benefits.
The migration concerns the infrastructure behind the bank’s existing card and ATM services. It is separate from Egypt’s national instant payment network, which supports transfers between participating banks through approved channels.
